Sylvia Rodriguez
Biography of Sylvia Rodriguez
Sylvia Rodriguez was born in Providence, RI. After growing up in a large family of eight, as a teenager, she was taken in by her now adoptive family, who continuously supports her drive to help others. Sylvia had drawn as long as she could remember, and with the support of both of her families, decided to pursue a degree in fine arts at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where she would meet her mentors, April Prince and Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges, who first introduced her to the idea of making children’s books.
She spent the majority of her time in college as a social justice advocate in her community, creating accessible events and media for community members to engage with regarding other cultures and experiences, which further cemented her desire to write and illustrate books that taught people about the importance of identity and helping others. Her biggest influence was Oge Mora, who graduated from the same program.
After finishing her BFA, she pursued an MAT at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in their Teaching + Learning in Art + Design (TLAD) program, in addition to joining the Mentorship Program for Beginning Educators of Color, where she learned more about her love for not only teaching through children’s books, but also teaching in art education. She currently works as an art educator in the Massachusetts public school system and is a strong advocate for educational reform.
Learn more at Sylvia Rodriguez’s official website.
