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Arpita Das

Arpita Das is the Founder-Publisher of Yoda Press, an independent publishing house based in New Delhi, India. From 2009 to 2013 Arpita also ran an independent bookstore in New Delhi, called Yodakin, which became a hub for book culture-related events and discussions. In 2013 she created a self-publishing platform called AuthorsUpFront, and from 2016 to 2018 she founded and curated the Word to Screen Market at the Mumbai Film Festival, bringing book and screen industry professionals together for the first time in India.

Arpita also founded and directed a writing festival focused on Indian cities, called City Scripts, for the Indian Institute of Human Settlements in Bangalore between 2014 and 2017.

She frequently writes on book culture, publishing, popular culture, gender and bibliotherapy for various outlets, and gives workshops for authors and editors. Arpita has also taught as Visiting Faculty on the Creative Writing Programme at New Delhi’s Ashoka University, and as Adjunct Faculty at the School of Business and the School of Creative Expression, at Ambedkar University.

Latoya West-Blackwood

Latoya West-Blackwood is a publisher, creative project manager, and consultant, based in Kingston, Jamaica, whose creative industry work focuses on promotion of cross-cultural understanding, gender equality, inclusion, and social justice. With Latoya as its chair for two terms, the Book Industry Association of Jamaica has strengthened its work to promote reading and literacy as tools of transformation, with a focus on early-grade reading and access to literature for all, particularly people with disabilities.

Latoya was a member of the National Consultative Committee of Latin America and Caribbean Reads (LAC Reads), a USAID-funded project implemented in Jamaica by EduConnect. LAC Reads works to fill research and knowledge sharing gaps in teaching and content development in early grade reading, delivering 30 new culturally relevant titles for children. She was recognized by the Yale School of Management Publishing Course as the 2020 International Innovative Leader in Book Publishing Awardee.

Bodour Al Qasimi

Founder, PublisHer;
CEO-Founder, Kalimat;
President, International Publishers Association

A trailblazer in the global publishing scene, Bodour Al Qasimi is creating a positive impact on the world by pushing IPA’s agenda on the freedom to publish and intellectual property rights. Under her leadership, IPA launched many global initiatives such as the InSPIRe Initiative and IPA Academy to build solidarity within the publishing ecosystem and help publishers bridge the skills gap.

In 2019, Bodour established PublisHer – an informal networking body that seeks to increase the number of women in leadership roles within the publishing industry.

As the CEO and founder of Kalimat Publishing Group, she has been an avid advocate of the role of books and literacy in enlightening children.

Bodour also chaired the committee of Sharjah World Book Capital 2019—an honor awarded by UNESCO. Over decades, her exemplary work to further Sharjah’s contributions as a hub for reading, literacy, and culture, has culminated in global recognition for the emirate.

Bodour has a Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology and Anthropology from Cambridge University and a Master’s degree in Medical Anthropology from University College London.