Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. She is the author of A Crown for Corina, Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet, which received a Pura Belpré Honor, and several other novels. She has three objectives when it comes to storytelling: to make people laugh, cry, and crave Mexican food. Her work celebrates Chicane grit, resilience, creativity, and joy while exploring themes of identity and mental health.