Youme Landowne (whose parents made her name up from the words “you” and “me”) is an artist and activist. She grew up in Miami, Florida, and Woods Hole, Massachusetts, listening to stories, reading her way through libraries, building tree houses and making books.

Youme’s work has taken her to Nairobi, Kenya, where she wrote and illustrated for Rainbow Magazine; to Kyoto, Japan, where she worked as a graphic artist; to Santiago de Cuba as a participant in Inter Nos, a collaborative mural project; and to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, collaborating with children to paint murals and document their stories through drawings and the written word. She became a professional community muralist working with Precita Eyes Mural Art Center in San Francisco, California.

Youme's first children's book is the award winning Selavi: A Haitian Story of Hope. Youme wrote and illustrated Selavi, which is a story based on real life children in Haiti who are homeless and have made a community together. Selavi has received numerous awards, such as the Jane Addams Peace Award and the American Library Association Notable Book Award.

Youme now lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she works with Groundswell, a public arts organization, and Teachers & Writers Collaborative.

Youme and Anthony Horton are collaborating on a new book about Anthony's life in the subways under New York City. It's called Pitch Black.

Check out Youme's homepage!