It’s finally time for our first interview! I am so excited to introduce you to Alma. Alma and I met at the SCBWI In-Person Winter Conference in February 2023. It was in New York City that year, and I traveled all the way from Los Angeles to attend! On Saturday, there was a Networking Happy Hour, and the California Regions were grouped together in their own section. I didn’t know anyone at the event, but I found a seat next to Alma, and she made me feel like I wasn’t alone! We chatted for most of the night. I never forgot her kindness and I’m inspired by her advocacy. (Go unions!) I knew she’d have incredibly valuable insights.
Let’s meet Alma!
ALMA GALAPON (she/her) is a fourth grade teacher who writes picture books and middle grade. She is an active member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and the California Teachers Association where she advocates for racial and social justice. Alma is the Co-Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in northern and central California. She lives in Sacramento with her family, including Daisy the Chihuahua.
Q: WHEN DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?
I started writing picture books twenty-four years ago after my son was born. I was living in Georgia, away from our families on the west coast, while my husband was deployed for months at a time.
Q: WHY DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?
I never stopped loving picture books. I grew up to be a teacher so I could read them aloud every day. When I stayed home with my son, I wanted to capture these moments of joy for my husband and for my son to look back on one day.
Q: WHAT DO YOU WRITE?
I started out writing humor. Who doesn’t love a good pun? As I learned more about my family history of immigration and farmworkers, I wrote their stories to understand and think about their (our) place in American history.
Q: HAS BEING A TEACHER INFORMED YOUR WRITING JOURNEY?
It’s easier to put myself in the mindset of elementary kids since I’m immersed in their world for seven and a half hours every day. I am able to see their reactions to their friends, to fun announcements, but also to me when I say, “Time for math! Yay!” The eye roll has never been so loud. But I also feel that because of this, I am more empathetic toward their big issues, however small they may seem to adults.
Q: HAS BEING AN ACTIVIST INFORMED YOUR WRITING JOURNEY?
I first became active in my union when I wanted to do more for my students, their families, and community beyond my classroom. I knew I had to do something about the struggle for basic human rights, for Asian and Pacific Islander communities, and for solidarity amongst like-minded people. We should be studying and writing stories of struggle and perseverance so as to not repeat the past — but unfortunately we can see that the past is repeating in many ways. Book bans are not new. Stripping certain groups of people of civil rights is not new.
But it feels new to us if we didn’t know. It feels new to us if it is something that did not get the attention of the media before now.
It’s because of all this that I am determined to uplift the experiences and hardships of myself and my family through writing. We can have greater empathy from knowing the history and struggle of our neighbors.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK? WHY?
I love MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD written by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson. It’s a realistic slice-of-life, lyrical, and heartfelt.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE BEST PART OF THE JOURNEY TOWARD PUBLICATION SO FAR?
There are actually two!
1) I love the community of writers and artists I’ve met along the way, from children’s to writers for adults. They have been supportive and helpful in every aspect.
2) I have learned a lot about myself and my family through writing. It has been (and is!) a wonderful experience to study my family history and revisit memories of my childhood. I hope that my picture books will serve as windows and mirrors that I needed when I was a kid.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF THE JOURNEY SO FAR?
The most difficult part of the journey is myself. There have been long periods of time where I wasn’t producing anything or sending out queries, and every time I am able to come back to writing, I am really hard on myself. I start comparing myself to authors who are younger than me and authors who have been published far faster than I could have dreamed.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN YOUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE?
Being active in my local chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators has introduced me to brilliant writers and illustrators in northern California. Through SCBWI – CA: North/Central, I’ve been going to a bimonthly critique group which is more than just a critique group. We’ve become friends and encourage each other in every way.
Q: CELEBRATE YOURSELF! WHICH WRITING ACCOMPLISHMENT MAKES YOU FEEL THE PROUDEST?
After years of writing picture books, I stopped and started a handful of young adult manuscripts that I would have wanted to read as a tween or teen. One that was the closest to being finished won the BIPOC Scholarship for me to attend the SCBWI NYC Winter Conference.
Q: HOW DO YOU HANDLE REJECTION?
I have grown a thick skin over the years. The first couple of rejections were sad, but I have been collecting them. I see every rejection letter as a response to an act of faith in myself and courage to put myself out there.
Q: WHAT KEEPS YOU WRITING?
I have different reasons for writing. I write all the time for my own healing and mental health to examine and wonder about thoughts in my head. I also write to capture moments in my childhood where I felt very alone in my own identity and place in school. Most of these moments were very much ethnicity based such as cultural differences and general appearance. I see recently published books by Filipino and Filipino American authors and illustrators who have beautifully told stories that I needed when I was a kid. We must have books as mirrors and windows for identity affirmation, for empathy, and for solidarity.
Q: WHAT HAS WAITING FOR YOUR “YES” TAUGHT YOU?
Waiting for my “yes” has taught me that I love the journey and writing more than I love the idea of being published. Sounds a little weird to say, but if I had a crystal ball that predicted I would never be published, I still would continue writing for me.
Thanks for being so open and honest, Alma! I love hearing that writing is something you will always do, regardless of anything else.
As Alma explained, writing is an act of resistance because it promotes compassion and understanding, putting the reader into the life of another person. I wanted her to speak about this, and her union work, because I’ve been wondering more and more about the intersection of writing and activism — especially as life in America continues to shift.
I do hope the stories I write will benefit children — whether that be through empowering them, helping them connect with a trusted adult, or helping them escape into a book. But I’m not published at the moment. My stories aren’t reaching kids yet so… is there something else I can do? Is there something else we can do to make the world a better place for kids? To that, I say yes! Personally, I’ve been using 5 Calls to contact my representatives. It’s a wonderful tool that provides background on various issues, clear scripts to follow, and lets you log your results. This way, we can see the calls add up. I’m also looking forward to Banned Books Week, which “draws national attention to the harms of censorship.” It’s coming up in October, and there are many ways to get involved, including checking out a banned book, buying a banned book, or volunteering at your local library. Let’s create art for kids and stand up for kids. Let’s resist together!
If you’d like to keep in touch with Alma, you can find her over on Instagram at @almagalaponbooks. To celebrate our very first interview, we’re giving away a $10 GIFT CARD TO BOOKSHOP.ORG! In order to enter, simply subscribe to the newsletter. Everyone who has subscribed by 11:59PM PT on September 8th, 2025 will be entered into a random drawing to win! (No purchase necessary. You must be 18+ to enter.)
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