Bio: Nellie K. and Deniz Nala

Nellie K was born in Kyrgyzstan, a small country in Central Asia, to a family of mixed backgrounds and cultures. She taught literature to young kids and university students and has worked with the United Nations. Nellie is a passionate advocate for the rights of the child and women’s empowerment. Nellie is the winner of the 2015 Platinum Hermes Creative Awards and the 2017 Writer’s Digest Honorable Mention. She wrote for notable EU documentaries A long walk (Burkina Faso) and Land of many waters (Guyana). La Riposte (Congo, Senegal) - the film she scripted and directed for the World Health Organization, won two awards in Cannes in 2023. 

Visit the website: https://www.nelliek.ch/

Contact: nellie@nelliek.ch

Deniz Nala was born in Ohio, USA and lived in Kenya, from where comes her African name Nala. Deniz Nala started drawing before she learned to hold a spoon, and has created many characters, which came out of the different bedtime stories her mom used to tell her. Kiki, Cutie Boop and Snooty Pooch were the favorites and lived many exciting adventures, some of which she and Nellie share in their children’s book Kiki De Venus @ http://kikidevenus.com/. Deniz is now studying for her master’s degree in clinical psychology at the University of Geneva and is a passionate advocate for disability-inclusive policies.