Ashanti Fortson is an award-winning cartoonist, illustrator, comics editor, and color designer. Their comics work explores the rifts and connections between people, they are deeply interested in textiles, and their love for color is a thread that runs through everything they make. Ashanti lives in Baltimore with their spouse, their cat Miss Cheese, and at least three pet rats at all times.

Ashanti's short comic Leaf Lace won the 2021 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Comic, and was nominated in the categories of Outstanding Artist and Outstanding Online Comic. Alongside Allison O’Toole, Ashanti co-edited the 2023 Ignatz Award-winning horror comics anthology Shades of Fear. Their work has also been featured in Mañana: Latinx Comics From the 25th Century (Power & Magic Press), Wonderful Women of History (DC Comics), Bitch Magazine, and many other publications.

Ashanti has done freelance comics editing work for individual clients and independent publications. They worked as a graduate thesis advisor for Lillie J. Harris’ thesis comic, Wilderness, through the Center for Cartoon Studies in 2020-2021, and as an Assistant Editor on TO Comix’ Wayward Kindred anthology in 2019.

Ashanti is working on a variety of projects, including their solo graphic novel, Cress & Petra, from HarperCollins (202X). They’re also illustrating their debut picture book, written by author Jenny Lacika and out from Atheneum (2026): Talking Books: Dr. Robert B. Irwin and a New Way to Read.

Available for illustration freelance, including narrative, editorial, and TTRPG work.
Available for workshops, panels, and events (virtual or in-person).
Contact me at ashantifortson@gmail.com.

Please direct publishing inquiries to my agent, Susan Graham, at sgraham@einsteinliterary.com.