Virtual Veritas Vignettes 

Session 8 with Alliah Agostini, AB'04, HBS '09

 The Business of Children's Books from Visual Manifestation to Publishing (Children's Books)

Virtual Veritas Vignettes, a year-long storytelling series that brings our community together through the power of narrative. Each quarter, our alumni experts will equip alumni with practical tools to capture, craft, and share their personal and collective stories through various mediums—children’s books, memoirs, podcasts, and TEDx mini-series. Each three-month session focuses on a different storytelling medium, fostering skill-building, collaboration, and self-expression.

EIGHTH SESSION with Alliah Agostini

 

VVV Leader: Alliah Agostini, Harvard College 2004, Harvard Business School 2009.
Session Title: The Business of Children's Books from Visual Manifestation to Publishing (Children's Books)

When: April 2026 - June 2026

* Tuesday, April 7, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (EST)
* Tuesday, May 5, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (EST)

* Tuesday, June 9, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (EST)

There’s no typical path to publishing, and Alliah L. Agostini (Alliah Agostini Livingstone '04 HBS '09) certainly didn’t anticipate becoming an author of over a dozen picture books when she pursued her MBA at HBS to transition into a career in marketing. However, the lessons she learned throughout her career as a marketer of household names and scrappy startups (not to mention her invaluable insights as a former child and current mother!) proved invaluable as she pivoted into children’s publishing. 

Join Alliah as she shares: 

• her experience creating insight-driven, engaging and relevant stories, 

• writing content that facilitates fruitful creative partnerships with your future illustrators and editors, and 

• marketing on a limited budget (yes, necessary even when traditionally published!).

Whether you are curious about kidlit or well on your way down your publishing journey, there’s something in this course to be gained by all. 

COST: $200 
LOCATION: Zoom, a link will be sent to paid registrants
DEADLINE: Register before Wednesday, April 1st
MAX class size: 20 people

Speaker Bio:

Alliah is the author of many picture books and easy readers for children including Junior Library Guild Selection BIG TUNE: Rise of the Dancehall Prince (starred reviews, Kirkus and Publisher's Weekly, NYPL and Chicago Public Library Best Picture Book of 2023), Black KidLit Award-winning The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States, Oprah Winfrey: A Little Golden Book Biography, The Juneteenth Cookbook, Great Idea Malia, Blexi, Play!, Scarecited on the First Day of School, No Cat Like Tac, Art's Art, and more.

A proud member of KidLit in Color, Black Creators HQ, the Picture Book Sunrays, and SCBWI, she and her work have been featured on Oprah Daily, Essence.com, TODAY with Hoda + Jenna, Morning in America, Good Housekeeping, CNN, and NPR. Alliah resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children. She has an A.B. and an M.B.A. from Harvard.

Why Virtual Veritas Vignettes: Our stories are our legacy. By joining this initiative, you become part of a larger movement to preserve and elevate Black narratives—both personal and shared—within and beyond Harvard. Rooted in HBAS's mission, this initiative strengthens connections among Black Harvard alumni while preserving and amplifying our narratives.

At a time when Black history is being challenged and erased, this program empowers alumni to document their truths, celebrate shared experiences, and contribute to a legacy of storytelling that enriches both the Harvard and broader Black communities. By providing a structured platform for storytelling, Virtual Veritas Vignettes embodies the HBAS mission creating a forum for engagement, mentorship, and impact that enhances the alumni experience across generations.