Join Niccara as she welcomes DJ (Dominique), founder of Black & Brown Book Designers, to the pod! We talk about what a book designer actually does — covers, jackets, interiors, and why illustration is a whole separate job most readers assume is the same person.
She takes us back to being the only Black cover designer on her team, learning what a 401k even was at her first corporate publishing job, and how that isolation turned into a 501c3 in 2020 after a post she almost didn't make.
We get into the difference between having a seat at the table and actually being valued once you're sitting in it, the "golden handcuffs" of publishing, and why she started saying no to a freelance queue that was 80–90% trauma and slavery titles when what she wanted was Black love, Black joy, and Black greatness on the shelf. Plus: the wins BNB has already put on the board — two volunteers placed full-time at a Big Five, a 22% placement rate from their 2024 portfolio review — and what's next as the org expands from Brooklyn to the DMV.
Perfect for readers who appreciate conversations about creative labor behind the books we love, being the only one in the room, the difference between diversity and belonging, mentorship as a form of community care, and the everyday greatness that doesn't always get a byline.
Curious about book design for yourself, your kid, or your second act? Follow Black & Brown Book Designers, check out the freelance directory, and come through to a Book Lovers Hike or community hour!
Follow Us: @butmakeitbookspod | @thebookishhottie | bookishlyhealing.com
Follow & Find Dominique: Black & Brown Book Designers: bnbbookdesigners.com | @bnbbookdesigners (IG, Threads, YouTube)
Shop With Us: Use our Mahogany Books link with code BMIB
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Mentioned in this episode:
African Ancestry
We are the pioneers of genetic ancestry tracing for Black people globally, reconnecting you to your specific African roots–the country and the people. Our scientists compare your DNA markers to the largest African reference database in the world in order to find your African origin up to 2000 years ago.
The Seven Daughters of Dupree Pre-Order Offer
Nikisha Elise Williams, the host of the Black and Published podcast, is celebrating the release of her forthcoming novel, The Seven Daughters of Dupree. This historical fiction novel is about the secrets kept between mothers and daughters over the course of seven generations and is told backwards in time from 1995 to 1860. The Seven Daughters of Dupree will be released on January 27th, 2026, but is available for pre-order now at MahoganyBooks.com. Please consider pre-ordering The Seven Daughters of Dupree today.
African Ancestry
We are the pioneers of genetic ancestry tracing for Black people globally, reconnecting you to your specific African roots–the country and the people. Our scientists compare your DNA markers to the largest African reference database in the world in order to find your African origin up to 2000 years ago.