Billie Holiday: The Graphic Novel

Ebony Gilbert is the co-author of Women in Jazz Graphic Novels: Billie Holiday. Strongly impacted by the poverty, violence, and drug use she witnessed as a child living in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood, Ebony has devoted her life to using the written word to highlight marginalized communities, give a voice to the voiceless, and capture the experiences of the disenfranchised. 

While in high school, Ebony served as a frequent contributor to the Miami Herald and the Miami Times, where she published stories that called out the systemic racism and inequality facing minority youth. After earning a degree in English from the University of Florida, where she researched Black women in media, Ebony moved to Los Angeles and interned for a variety of high-profile media companies, including BET, The Queen Latifah Show, and Overbrook, Will Smith’s production company, all while earning her M.F.A. in Screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University.

In addition to co-writing and directing complex[ion] woman, an award-winning play that explores the intricacies of Black womanhood, Ebony was named a 2018 Writer to Watch by WeForShe. She currently works as a story editor on The CW’s Batwoman.

Originally from Caracas, David Calcano has been fusing still and moving pictures with music to craft meaningful stories for over a decade as the Chief Director of Fantoons Animation Studios. He’s written for the page and screen, as well as directed animation for the likes of Disney, Universal, Warner, Westbrook (Will Smith’s company), Publicis, Rush, Nat King Cole, Iron Maiden, Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, The Beach Boys, Johnny Ramone, and more… the list goes on and on!

His creative output includes award-winning animated music videos, advertising spots, album packages, concert visuals, and critically-acclaimed books. Beyond his professional delivery, David is a massive music fan with a collection of more than 10,000 records and counting.