The Robin Seaman Award is awarded to women and non-binary people in the Bay Area to support their careers in publishing and create a more diverse community within the publishing industry. On October 15th, the 2024 winners gathered for a panel at Chronicle Books in San Francisco to discuss how the award has helped them broaden their education and experiences within publishing. I had the opportunity to attend this panel and received an impactful introduction to today’s publishing community.
The 2024 award winners in attendance were the following, and they provided insights on these key themes:
Chloe Wong - Emphasizing possibility over limitation
Bri James - Aspiring to break down barriers
Sadie Washington - Bringing passion back to literature
Sam Javellana Hill - Appreciating the vital role of mentors and community
Michelle Lutsky - Advocating for the impact of active participation.
As a newcomer to publishing, I have been intimidated to enter a field full of talent and creativity. However, attending this panel inspired hope, not only as an aspiring editor but as an Asian American queer woman.
The goal of both the award and the panel was to empower diversity in publishing. Through my attendance, I was able to find relief in some of the anxiety I was experiencing, particularly around finding acceptance in this community. The Bay Area Women in Publishing’s (BAWiP) mission of creating connections and supporting women and non-binary people is reflected through this award that honor’s co-founder Robin Seaman, a woman who believed in book accessibility for all and the empowerment of women in publishing.
One of the key moments of the panel was when panelists discussed what they wanted to bring to publishing with the support of the award. Sadie Washington’s goal to bring back passion to literature resonated with me, as it aligns with my own aspirations for publishing—to not only create spaces but produce more pieces of literature meant to bring people together. At the end of the panel, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sadie and reminisced on the communities created by the release of early 2010 bestsellers, like Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. These books brought millions of people together through a love of reading.
As we pursue our respective careers, we hope to create platforms and media that foster the connections literature creates.
Another key moment was when panelists were asked why they hesitated to apply for the award. Each panelist shared that initially, they doubted their qualifications to receive such an honor. Imposter syndrome, whether in our skill or in our worth, is a shared feeling. However, each panelist offered advice for overcoming this:
Acknowledging “no” is simply a redirection to another opportunity
Having confidence in your knowledge and your work
Knowing there will never be harm in trying to be more
These insights honored Robin Seaman’s legacy and guided the panelists toward success. As publishing grows in skill and creativity it will be strengthened by the diverse community Robin Seaman believed in.
Congratulations to the 2024 Robin Seaman Award Winners, whose work will undoubtedly shape and inspire the future of publishing.
About the author:
Mikayla Ramos is an intern at Alpha Book Publisher and a senior at San Francisco State University, where she is pursuing a degree in Psychology and Comparative & World Literature. Originally from Sacramento, California, Mikayla moved to San Francisco to follow her passion for writing.
After gaining experience as a script supervisor for award-winning student short films and participating in numerous poetry slams across the city, she discovered her true calling: helping writers share their stories with a broader audience while kindling a love for literature amongst readers.
Upon graduation, Mikayla plans to stay in San Francisco and build a career in publishing, while continuing her lifelong love of reading—especially to her cat, who is a fantastic (and sometimes distracted) listener.