A Scholastic national award-winning poet and writer, Tanaya Kollipara has been authoring stories since middle school. In college, however, she discovered the power of storytelling to advocate. When she noticed her loved ones were suffering with their mental illnesses and refusing to seek help due to fear, Tanaya knew she had to do something to fight the mental health stigma in her community. As she spoke with AAPI folks across the nation about their mental health journeys, Tanaya realized they had important stories to share, leading her to write her debut book, Stigma: Breaking the Asian American Silence on Mental Health. 

In her spare time, Tanaya loves indulging in garlic noodles, reading Young Adult novels, and working with advocacy organizations.