Akwaeke Emezi was born in Nigeria in 1987 and came to the United States at 16 for college. They are transgender and were featured on the cover of Time magazine’s Next Generation Leader issue, as “Storyteller for a Changing World.” In the interview for Time, they explain that they see storytellers as those who amplify ideas that others have put forward as loudly and well as they can to reach the masses.

Emezi’s work spans multiple forms of media. A filmmaker and musician, they have created award-winning short films and music videos. They are also a visual artist, frequently working with blood as a part of their art. In an interview with Trevor Noah in June of 2022, Emezi says that blood plays an important role in traditional rituals. Using blood in their art is a way to connect with traditions that existed before colonization. In this way, Emezi and Feyi are similar, as both choose blood as a medium for their work. Emezi’s writing, however, is what has gained them the most prominence. They published seven books between 2018 and 2022, including three novels, two young adult novels, a memoir, and a poetry collection. They have another book, Little Rot, coming out in 2024.