Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer Afro-Latine/x Dominican and Puerto Rican storyteller. Her ability to weave compelling stories has opened many doors for her as an author, speaker, and resume writer.
She is also a mother and community organizer. During the day she works with community members, non-profit organizations, and government officials to make the world a better place.
Then she puts her writer’s hat on to craft heartfelt stories about home, family, food, and the fun places she has been. She is the author of Plátanos Are Love, The Bronx Is My Home, and Gloriana Presente: A First Day of School Book.
Alyssa was born and raised in The Bronx, New York, and currently lives in Philadelphia, PA with her partner and daughter.
Alyssa served her community as the Chief of Staff for her local State Representative. Together they worked to bring funds to the district, pass legislation, and organize events to ensure constituents’ needs are met.
Prior to this, Alyssa interned for Parvati Swayamrojgaar, a microfinance organization working to break the poverty cycle in the slums of India, taught English at an orphanage in Tanzania, and facilitated the establishment of the Women’s Witness Protection Program for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
She also assembled a team of 70 volunteers that worked to build an aquaponic unit (a system that grows fish and crops without waste) and a water purification system in an under-resourced community in the Dominican Republic. Her team fundraised, wrote grants, and developed lesson plans focused on sustainable development.
As for her writing journey, she was awarded a Yuyi Morales Diversity and More Merit Scholarship in 2020 for the Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books course offered through the Children’s Book Academy. She earned a Las Musas Mentorship and an Editor-Writer Mentorship from The Word for picture books in 2020. She was also selected as a mentee through the PB Chat Mentorship program but withdrew due to being offered representation. Alyssa’s amazing agent is the talented Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez at Context Literary Agency. Alyssa is also an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Alyssa is part of Las Musas, KidLit In Color, and PB Sunrays.
