Jamila Rowser

Jamila Rowser is an American writer and publisher. She created the blog Girl Gone Geek (2010–2016), which was devoted to "nerd culture" topics like cosplay, video games, and anime. Rowser founded Black Josei Press as a publishing platform for Black and Brown women comic writers. Her graphic novel Wash Day Diaries won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Graphic Novel/Comics.

Early life and education Rowser's mother was in the Air Force, which required their family move around frequently. Rowser was born in England, and lived for short periods in several locales including the Netherlands, Germany, Hawaii, California, and New York.

She received her bachelor's degree in communication from New York Institute of Technology, after which she moved to Boca Raton to be near her mother in 2016.

Career Rowser created the blog Girl Gone Geek in 2010 to discuss her passions like video games, Star Wars, and Doctor Who, because she had few real life friends who were interested in them.

Rowser created the publishing platform Black Josei Press to publish comics and merchandise by Black and Brown women creatives. She was inspired by josei manga to create the platform because she admires the scope of comics represented within this subtype of manga. She wrote a comic included in the collection, As Above, So Below.

Wash Day Diaries

In 2018 Rowser published her debut comic, Wash Day, under Black Josei Press, the first from the company. The book was illustrated by Robyn Smith and follows 26-year-old Kimana's Sunday morning hair washing routine.

Personal life Rowser resides in Miami.

Works

Wash Day (2018) , Black Josei Press Wobbledy 3000 (2018) , Black Josei Press As Above, So Below (2020) from Sun and Sand, Black Josei Press Ode to Keisha (2021) , Black Josei Press Wash Day Diaries (2022) , Chronicle Books

Accolades 2018 − Best Comics of 2018, The Comics Journal (for Wash Day) 2018 − DiNKy award, Floppy Category, Denver Independent Comics & Art (for Wash Day) 2021 − Creative 100 Honoree, Adweek 2021 − Best Writer, Broken Frontier Awards (for Ode to Keisha) 2021 − Very Best Comics of 2021, Nerdist (for Ode to Keisha) 2023 − Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Graphic Novel/Comics (for Wash Day Diaries) 2023 − Ignatz Award for Outstanding Story (for Wash Day Diaries)