Mariel-Ayen is the author of “Anak.”  She was 16 years old when she wrote her comic. Mariel is from  DC and her family is from the Philippines. She loves to draw – making designs for characters, creatures, vehicles, environments, and more! This project was not Mariel’s first story or comic, but will be the first one available to the public. Her favorite part of the writing process was thinking about how she can make a story that people can relate to, having characters that reflect both Mariel’s personal life, and the personal lives of others too. Mariel made “Anak” because it represents the personal struggles of trying to express yourself when you grew up in a different culture than your parents.

Recognition