Milani Hunt

Milani Hunt (ILLUSTRATOR) participated in the 2021 SF South SCBWI Portfolio Showcase and the 2021 NY SCBWI Winter Conference Portfolio Showcase.

She is a member of SCBWI Arizona and was featured in the Illustrator’s Corner in their June 2021 newsletter.

Milani was recently named the SCBWI AZ Desert Sunrise 2021 Illustrator Winner (Own Voices/Lived Experience Creator).

Born in San Diego, CA, Milani lived in Virgina Beach, VA prior to moving to Washington, D.C. She and her husband currently reside in Arizona, where there is all beach and no ocean. The desert is where they raised their two children.

Milani loves to draw, paint, sculpt, travel, go hiking, and devour ice cream. Milani scooped ice cream at Baskin-Robbins for her first summer job during her high school years. . .and still cannot resist the Fall Flavor of the Month - Quarterback Crunch.

She once drew political cartoons for Flora Crater of THE WOMAN ACTIVIST, and also drew yo-yo illustrations for Don Duncan, Jr. of THE YOZEUM.

Fun fact: Milani had the brief but unique opportunity of meeting the famous cartoonist Charles Schulz, the creator of the PEANUTS comic strip.

Feel free to email her at: milani@museofmilani.art

Twitter: @milanihunt

Instagram: @milani_southwest

Milani is a former marketing professional turned author/illustrator.

That’s the scoop on Milani!

INTRODUCING MILANI                                                   

• Member of SCBWI AZ - Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators

• Illustrator 

• B.A. in Communication Studies - VIRGINIA TECH

• Pug Rescuer & Desert Dweller

• Member of BookClub 

• Member of KidLit Critique Group

• Known to Seek Adventure  - Skydiving and River Rafting

I am Milani.

To me — stories, life and family form a circle.

When you really think about it, we all start as a twinkle in someone’s eye.

My father enlisted in the U.S. Navy in his early 20s, leaving the Philippine Islands to start fresh. A picture of a bright and beautiful young lady, shared by a cousin of my Mom, prompted my father to invite this intriguing stranger to become his pen pal. They exchanged letters, fell in love, and decided to wed. The young couple together emigrated to the United States to establish new beginnings.

New life. New country. New family. Baby #1 —my big sis — was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Baby #2 —me, the complex middle child was born in San Diego, California. Baby #3 —the only son was also born in San Diego, California.

Dad received orders for a transfer to Virginia, and our young family made the one-way cross country road trip to the East Coast — mid-Atlantic area.

Tidewater is home to many Filipino-American families. Virginia is known for its southern hospitality, and the Llorin family adjusted fairly easily.

Enlisted Navymen were often out to sea, so their stay-at-home spouses bonded together. Our Mom adjusted with her resourcefulness and independence in raising young children.

The Llorin siblings enrolled and graduated from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. I promptly relocated to Washington, D.C. after college graduation.

Once a city slicker in the Nation’s Capital, I now embrace desert dwelling in the Southwest. I met my husband, who was born in Indiana, and we fell in love, wed and have established our home in Arizona. We are proud parents of one recent college graduate now professionally employed as well as one college-aged student, a rising junior.

Outreach and building community can make a difference. It matters when folks can come together and take action for a better world.

My professional background has always focused on cause-related marketing.

Regarding my publishing experience, I was asked to take on the daunting task of organizing the writings of the late Spencer Block, co-founder of Buffalo Exchange, for his memoir THE WAY OF THE BUFFALO - A BUSINESS PRIMER & FASHION.

That experience inspired me to write my own stories and reflect on my own creative goals.

I look forward to problem-solving and collaborative solutions in meeting creative needs. I am a member of SCBWI Arizona. I participate in a local writing critique group as well as a local illustrators group.

I am first generation Filipina-American. My husband is first generation German-American (maternal side).

The roots — the strength and determination passed down from generation to generation from both immigrant and indigenous families — have created a foundation for the driving innovative American spirit throughout our cultural history.

My children are so lucky to know and interact with their grandparents. Connection to one’s roots touches my heart. Generation Z inspires me! Our offspring have both been active members in the Filipino-American Student Association during their time in college.

I only met my grandparents just once one summer in high school. That trip to the Philippine Islands was unforgettable as my mother had been separated from her own parents for 18 years except through letters, mailed pictures, and the very rare long-distance phone call.

Young readers engage in picture books and desire to see main characters who resemble them to reinforce a sense of belonging.

So. . .LET’S TALK! I would love the opportunity to collaborate on storytelling projects. Feel free to contact me at: milani@museofmilani.art

THE DRAWING BOARD:

My editorial cartoons were also published in the Collegiate Times at Virginia Tech.

When I lived in Northern Virginia, I drew editorial cartoons for a local business paper Washington Business Review as well as The Woman Activist.

Other fun projects:

• children’s “Timmy the Dinosaur” coloring books for Positive Promotions

• YO-YO trick illustrations for Don Duncan, Jr. and the Yozeum

Did you know that the first entrepreneur to introduce the YO-YO to the United States was a Filipino immigrant named Pedro Flores?

Here is a list of my clients over the years:

ILLUSTRATION

Positive Promotions/NY • Yozeum • Washington Business Review • DC CartoonNews • The Woman Activist • IBM Newport • Earle Palmer Brown Advertising

EDITORIAL & GRAPHIC DESIGN & ART DIRECTION

Soundings of the Planet • Buffalo Exchange • Friends of Sabino Canyon • Tohono Chul Park •VISITOR GUIDE - University of Arizona • Carondelet Medical Group

PROFESSIONAL MARKETING
EXPERIENCE

My cause-related marketing career started at:

• an international conservation organization WORLD WILDLIFE FUND in Washington, D.C.

I coordinated marketing and licensing of the beloved panda logo on merchandise and cause-related sponsorships.

Other places of employment:

• a New Age record label

SOUNDINGS OF THE PLANET

• a national clothing retailer of new & recycled fashion

BUFFALO EXCHANGE

• a non-profit

FRIENDS OF SABINO CANYON

• Specialty Magazines

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA - VISITOR GUIDE

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA - PARENTS & FAMILY MAGAZINE