Julia Wasson

A National Board Certified educator and coach, Julia watched her classroom light up with a good read-aloud. Her students' and families' enthusiasm for learning about people who contribute new ideas for the seemingly intractable challenges of the Los Angeles megalopolis led to her Huffington Post column about local activists. She imagined developing some of these profiles into picture books that could inspire other students. Native plant restorationist Nicholas Hummingbird and his work to bring habitat back to our concrete spaces made a lasting impact on her, and their deepening friendship has led to their co-authored debut, coming from HarperCollins in 2024. (Announcement pending.)

Julia has a BFA from Art Center College of Design and develops visual arts curriculum. She focuses on traditional paintings and unconventional assemblages that, without words, also carry stories. 

Julia and her husband have grown children, with their own ideas about what their city needs. Julia enjoys gallery exhibitions by new and young voices, and she experiments with a tiny native garden, inspired by her friend Nicholas, on her Hollywood curb strip.