We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Robert Liu-Trujillo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Robert below.

Robert, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

In 2023 a children’s picture book that I’d been working on for more than a decade finally debuted. Its called “Fresh Juice” and it came out last summer on Lee & Low Books. I wrote the story for the book and pitched it but was unable to get it made in 2009. Realizing I had a lot of growing to do as an illustrator and an author I worked on my craft by doing self initiated work and working on books by other authors. I also read hundreds of kids books to better understand the craft involved in making them good. Now after doing that, self publishing, building community, and getting an agent I was able to get it purchased by a promimant publisher. And this is meaningful because it took persistence and there is a need for more picture books showing fathers of color and specifically Black fathers with their kids.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started as a young artist in graffiti, graduated to murals, and became very interested in storytelling as a way to express myself creatively and to get across a positive message. I learned from peers and formal education by building crews and collectives and taking courses at public and private art schools.

I work as a freelance illustrator for clients. I do mural work with my crew called the Trust Your Struggle Collective (TYS), and I write and illustrate picture books for children.

Something I’m proud of is being able to publish kids books with a publisher and independently. It took many years to get in and to build my own community and I’m proud of that. Working with TYS Collective is a great accomplishment because we made art for gallery exhibits, led workshops, and painted murals all over the US and the world. To uplift a message of social justice , ethnic studies, critical thinking, or community investment is important; to me.

I’m also an event organizer. Over the past 7 years I have been one of several author/illustrators who have volunteered to produce and promote an event called the “Social Justice Children’s Book Holiday Fair”. We highlight stories by Bipoc, queer, and social justice minded creators for kids and young adults.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

What society can do is to fund art and creative practices in the public schools system first. This type of education should not just be limited to those with access, privilege, and wealth. It should be available for all kids who want to try it out and express themselves.

Second, state, and local governments should simply the process for getting funding to make art and they should expand the opportunities for artists of many disciplines to work. Not only for themselves, but to collaborate with local businesses, community, and governments.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

For books, the goal is to reflect my children, my family, and more folks from my community. And it is also about providing a doorway to literacy by making books myself, uplifting good books by others, and producing events that allow more folks to get their hands on a diverse array of books.

For murals its about uplifting messages of cultural pride, being critical of society, and providing beauty that is free for anyone to see in our community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.robdontstop.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/robert_tres
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063740375326&ref=hl
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-liu-trujillo/
• Twitter: https://bsky.app/profile/robliutrujillo.bsky.social
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mrroberttrujillo