Storytelling, much like food, is an element that is deeply ingrained within the Latino community. As we commune around the table to sit down and share a nourishing meal, our hearts, minds and souls are nourished by the stories of our families and ancestors.

Understanding why this aspect of the Latino culture is so vital to her community, author and artist Susie Jaramillo has dedicated her career to creating stories that not only shine a light on the richness of Latinos but also empower our most impressionable members—our children.

She tells People Chica, "An investment in children is an investment in our future, and so I decided to dedicate my career to creating worlds where our Latin culture thrives. New worlds that build on our lore, our mythology, our sense of aesthetics and nostalgia but with fresh and modern characters that showcase our spirit, our humor and our hearts."

With this in mind, the Chica Boss put pen to paper and created the wonderful world of Skeletina in her latest children's book Skeletina and the In-Between World, a story that dives into topics like fear and anxiety in a safe way to help children properly learn how to cope with intense feelings.

In an exclusive interview for People Chica for Hispanic Heritage Month, Jaramillo discusses what she learned about herself while writing about Skeletina's magical world and why creating multi-lingual content is vital to the Latino community.

You have dedicated your career to creating literature that supports the growth and development of children everywhere. When did you first realize that this was the path your soul needed to embark on?

Life gives you a mixed bag of talents and I think it's our job to figure out how to best lean into those talents and find out how we can use them to serve and elevate humanity. I trained as an artist and didn't realize I was a storyteller until much later on.

I took my culture for granted. It wasn't until I was a woman in my 30s that I realized just how underserved Latinos were here in the USA; how misunderstood we were; how underrepresented we were, especially in the children's space.

An investment in children is an investment in our future, and so I decided to dedicate my career to creating worlds where our Latin culture thrives. New worlds that build on our lore, our mythology, our sense of aesthetics and nostalgia but with fresh and modern characters that showcase our spirit, our humor and our hearts.

You've gone on to create two immensely successful ventures: the award-winning entertainment-driven direct-to-leaner edtech company, Encantos, and the Emmy-nominated Latino-inspired bilingual nursery rhyme series, Canticos. As a woman, what has this journey taught you about yourself? How have you grown from this experience?

It might sound cliche, but I think the most important thing you can do as a woman is to listen to your calling; believe in yourself and have the guts to follow your path, even if you have to make it up as you go along. Validation is great, but don't wait for it. Remember that if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will.

I'm constantly growing and learning—from everyone around me, younger and older. Knowing what you don't know is just as important as knowing what you know. I think the success of Canticos is mostly based on the fact that it came from a really concrete vision centered around the idea of serving the community in a really beautiful way—and it worked.

A team of US-based Latinas built Canticos: Venezuela, El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico & DR all came together to make it happen. It's a very special project and it will always have a special place in my heart.

Skeletina and the In-Between World is your most recent literary work to be released. What is your hope parents and children will take away from this story?

I want children to let go of their fears and harness the power of humor and imagination to unleash their potential. I want them to find a way to remember that nothing can hurt them in their dreams and that the things they think are scary, really can't touch them.

I want Skeletina to be a friend to them when their parents can't be there—poking fun and diffusing scary situations. I want her to be that best friend who can help them see beyond their fears into what is really causing them anxiety so that they can acknowledge it and deal with it in a healthy way.

A singular philosophy that all creatives understand is that each project we work on teaches us something new about ourselves. What did Skeletina teach you?

What a great question. I think most of the eclectic monsters that exist in Skeletina's world stem from my own nightmares, fears and anxieties. Fear of my mouth working against me; fear of showing up unprepared; fear of everyone looking at me for the wrong reason; fear of drowning—I've had all of these dreams and more!

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