About People of Color in Publishing

Who We Are

People of Color in Publishing is a grassroots organization created by book publishing professionals dedicated to supporting, empowering, and uplifting racially and ethnically marginalized members throughout the industry, we seek to create a safe and inclusive space celebrating and promoting diversity. Through a planning committee and network of chaired subcommittees, we advocate and foster career development and advancement of people of color (including Native/Indigenous) professionals’ work.

Our Membership Statement

Our members are self-identified people of color who work in the book publishing industry: in publishing houses, at literary agencies, or similar institutions.

We welcome and include Native Americans in our organization, and we fully acknowledge the ongoing debate within the Native American community, which represents more than 500 nations, as to whether Natives are people of color or are separate and distinct from POC, and as to which term is preferred between many, including Native American, Native, Indian, American Indian, Indigenous People, or First Nations.

We recognize the sovereignty of all Native nations and the unique history of Natives as compared to the history of other groups in the United States.

Our Commitment & Vision

The diversification of the book publishing industry until the people of color are not only recruited but retained, until the staff of publishing houses in the United States is as racially and ethnically diverse as the world we live in.