Yona 1.jpg — Meet the Founder, Yona Deshommes.
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**My love for the written word started at a very early age.**
My earliest memory is sitting at the kitchen table with my dad as he read the newspaper. My parents, both Haitian immigrants, encouraged an early appreciation for reading and I have vivid memories of books, magazines and newspapers being ever present. I remember taking a section of the paper and examining the words intently. I would turn the pages and pretended to “read” and I remember my parents laughing at me because the pages were upside down. They tried to turn it right side up, but I refused to let the newspaper out of my hand.
I began my early career in education. I was a teaching assistant and then an **Academic Coordinator at Edwin Gould Academy** which was a residential treatment center in Chestnut Ridge, New York. I worked primarily with at risk youth from the foster care and juvenile justice system. Many of my students were reluctant readers and often at least two years behind academically.
I used books such as *The Coldest Winter Ever* by **Sister Souljah**, *Precious and Push* by **Sapphire** and *Monster* by Walter Dean Myers to get them to read and was able to use those books to teach them to think critically. They couldn’t get enough and many admitted this was the first time they had an interest in books. They would often read more pages than asked and couldn’t wait for English class to discuss what they read. **I saw then how important it was for them to see themselves in the books they read and how impactful and empowering it was to know that the authors looked like them.**

We believe…

We believe in the transformative power of storytelling and owning your journey.

Our ethics…

We believe in a diverse world lens where no matter race or gender, we create a platform to share & be seen.

We stand…

We believe that the world needs healing more than ever and our words and stories have the power to uplift & inspire.

My Mission And Vision

When I switched gears and entered the world of publishing, I never forgot my experience with my former students. I knew then I wanted to work with authors of color, helping them to share their stories with the world.

I wanted to be responsible for providing vehicles for Black and Brown people to see authors who looked like them, writing books that captured their imagination, taking them into new and exciting worlds that were beyond their experience. I have spent the better part of my career working with authors of color that include: Zane, Tananarive Due, Sister Souljah, Alice Walker, Taraji P Henson, Kevin Hart, Marc Lamont Hill, Common, Michael Strahan, George Clinton, Charlie Wilson, TD Jakes, Pearl Cleage, Beverly Bond, Nafissa Thompson Spires, Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Bevy Smith and countless others.

While I am always excited to work with high profile clients, I am equally passionate about helping readers to discover lesser known authors and having the opportunity to nurture and grow their profiles. Everyone’s story is important and there are countless readers who are waiting hear them.

Dream it.

Book A Consult

The mission of Riverchild Media is simple—to amplify the voices of authors of color. This includes securing top media opportunities and partnering with colleagues to facilitate literary experiences meant to nourish the minds, bodies and spirits of readers. Riverchild Media will assist in raising awareness to stimulate book sales whether the client is the next great fiction phenomenon or thought leader.