Jumko Ogata-Aguilar
Writer and Education and Racial Justice Advocate
she, her, hers, ella
“The words of Indigenous and Black writers helped me believe in the importance of my own voice, and I want to provide others with the tools and the strength to find theirs and use it to fight inequality.”
Jumko Ogata-Aguilar is a writer and racial justice advocate from Mexico whose work centers around the histories of Black, Indigenous, and Asian-descendant communities. Her community leadership focuses on helping children and youth improve their reading skills and develop critical thinking through literature. As a writer, she analyzes the dynamics of racial inequality in Mexico and proposes solutions to existing systems of oppression.
Jumko has taught workshops on anti-racism and Black Mexican history and literature throughout Mexico, the United States, and the Caribbean; she also published a children’s book in 2022, Mi Pelo Chino (“My Curly Hair”), that celebrates Afro-Mexican identity. She has organized and taught workshops within Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities throughout Mexico, and has led both online and in-person book clubs focused on the work of Black, Indigenous, and people of color writers. She aims to create physical spaces in both urban and rural areas that will supplement formal education and make books more readily available for students.
Jumko believes that equitable access to information and education is the key to a just future. Through collaboration, mutual respect, and a commitment to challenging historical and cultural narratives, we can not only dismantle inequality but reach solutions that bring joy and love to all communities.