Ezan Charo 
Within modern literature, spanning across all genres, there are a plethora of talented individuals creating a massive variety of content to read, from spellbinding fiction to mind-opening history. However, this article is meant to shine light on some modern-day authors of color that have either made a big impact on the writing industry or have written some genuinely passionate stuff that deserves to be known about.
The first author of note is award-winning Nigerian-American fiction writer Tomi Adeyemi, author of the critically acclaimed Children of Blood and Bone and Children of Virtue and Vengeance, the first two installments in her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy. These dark fantasy novels aimed for young adults, revolve around a ruined world with magic at the brink of extinction. Inspired by African mythology, it’s a must-read for anyone interested in fantasy.
Authors Ibram X. Kendi, an anti-racism activist, professor and historian, along with novelist and poet Jason Reynolds, worked together to write one of my favorite books of all time: Stamped. This is an expertly written, easy-to-read book detailing the history of racism, its impact on society, and how we can overcome it. With several different variations for all demographics, it’s definitely something everyone should check out, as this issue still remains and affects the world as a whole.
Nnedi Okorafor is a Nigerian-American sci-fi and fantasy author, responsible for (in my eyes) one of the best pieces of Afrofuturism out there. The short story is titled Mother of Invention, starring a pregnant woman on the brink of death, navigating her way to a safe city. It has featured in the anthology novel Future Tense Fiction, a book intended to showcase short stories revolving around displaying culture and philosophy through the lens of what our future could look like when driven by technology and science.
Have you read any of these before? Check them out and tell me what you think.
By Ezan Charo, Junior, ChiArts
Twitter: @digitalwarlock8
