National Network for Equitable Library Service

A celebration of fifty talented, creative, passionate people (forty-nine women and one nonbinary person) working in the fields of visual art, dance, photography, music, design, comedy, storytelling, food, fashion, beauty, wellness, and advocacy. Bloom Where You Are Planted is a collection of interviews and photography that honours a group of innovative, hard-working, diverse people, whose creative and business ventures inspire, support, and infuse others' lives with purpose and positivity. These are people who are passionate about work, community, and giving back. The forty-nine women and one non-binary person featured in this book have established a strong community of supporters and followers in their respective sectors. Among those featured are: Haida and Cree artist and entrepreneur Erin Brillon; singer-songwriter Julianna Laine; dancer Erika Mitsuhashi; nonbinary model and writer Lydia Okello; storyteller and entrepreneur Samantha Reynolds; cosmetic chemist Veerpal Sdihu; sculptor Marie Khourie; artist Athena Bax; pastry chef Kiko Nakata; Hip Hop/R&B recording artist Kia Kadiri; and author/illustrator Emma FitzGerald. After a decade of writing and interviewing fascinating people, author Beka Shane Denter realized that the true stories of women and nonbinary people are often left untold or presented in an overly polished way. In this collection, she explores the story behind the person, the movement, the voice, the words, the images, and the brand. Bloom Where You Are Planted infuses positivity into a world in need of inspiration and brings to life the stories of a phenomenal group of people.