{{Short description|American cartoonist and database maintainer}} {{Infobox comics creator
| image = File:Marinaomi-2021.jpg | image_size = | alt = MariNaomi in 2021 | caption = MariNaomi in 2021 | birth_name =Mari Naomi Schaal | birth_date = {{birth date and age|August 2, 1973}} | birth_place = Texas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | area = | alias = | notable works = | collaborators = | awards = | partner = | spouse = | children = | relatives = | signature = | signature_alt = | module = | website = https://marinaomi.com/ | bodyclass = }}
'''MariNaomi''' (born as '''Mari Naomi Schaal'''; born August 2, 1973) is an American graphic artist and cartoonist who often publishes autobiographical comics and is also well-known for creating three online databases of underrepresented cartoonists.
==Career== MariNaomi has been drawing comics since 1997, starting out as a zine creator.<ref name="Los Angeles Magazine 2016">{{cite web |last=Monnier |first=Mia Nakaji |date=14 September 2016 |title=This Cartoonist Perfectly Captures the Highs and Lows of Friendship |url=https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/cartoonist-perfectly-captures-highs-lows-friendship/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101180141/https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/cartoonist-perfectly-captures-highs-lows-friendship/ |archive-date=1 January 2023 |access-date=25 June 2019 |website=Los Angeles Magazine}}</ref><ref name="GRM17">{{cite web |date=11 July 2017 |title=Illustrating the Awesome and the Awkward: MariNaomi's Memoirs |url=https://www.giantrobot.media/stories/2017/7/11/marinaomi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101200403/https://www.giantrobot.media/stories/2017/7/11/marinaomi |archive-date=1 January 2023 |access-date=25 June 2019 |website=Giant Robot Media}}</ref> Their comics are usually autobiographical. They talk about the search for their roots, their status as a mixed race queer woman, as well as their feminism. Their article "Writing People of Color" discusses how people of color should approach writing about people from a race that is not their own.<ref name="Midnight Breakfast">{{cite web | title=Writing People of Color by MariNaomi | website=Midnight Breakfast | url=https://midnightbreakfast.com/writing-people-of-color | access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref> MariNaomi stated "I feel like race is such a sensitive issue that I wanted feedback and I wanted to know how better to do it and to share that information.".<ref name="GRM17" />
MariNaomi wrote an article ''It Happened to Me: I Was Sexually Harassed Onstage at a Comic Convention Panel'' for XOJane in 2013 describing their experience of being harassed on stage as a panelist at a comics convention.<ref name="archive.fo 2013">{{cite web | title=IT HAPPENED TO ME: I Was Sexually Harassed Onstage at a Comic Convent… | website=archive.fo | date=2013-12-21 | url=http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/marinaomi-harassed-comics-panel | archive-url=https://archive.today/20131221201542/http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/marinaomi-harassed-comics-panel | url-status=dead | archive-date=2013-12-21 | access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref> They did not name their harasser, but Scott Lobdell later came forward and issued a public apology for his actions.<ref name="susana-polo 2013">{{cite web |author=Polo |first=Susana |date=20 December 2013 |title=Scott Lobdell Outs Self as Comic Con Panel Sexual Harasser |url=https://www.themarysue.com/scot-lobdell-sexual-harassment/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218191711/https://www.themarysue.com/scot-lobdell-sexual-harassment/ |archive-date=18 February 2023 |access-date=25 June 2019 |website=The Mary Sue}}</ref><ref name="MacDonald 2013">{{cite web | last=MacDonald | first=Heidi | title=Scott Lobdell: I apologize to MariNaomi | website=The Beat | date=2013-12-19 | url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/scott-lobdell-i-apologize-to-marinaomi/ | access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref>
MariNaomi founded and maintains three online databases of cartoonists: the Cartoonists of Color Database, the Queer Cartoonists Database and the Disabled Cartoonists Database.<ref name="MariNaomi.com 2019">{{cite web | title=About MariNaomi | website=MariNaomi.com | date=2019-02-13 | url=https://marinaomi.com/about.html | access-date=2019-06-25 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref name="Aoki 2019">{{cite web | last=Aoki | first=Deb | title=MariNaomi Shines a Light on Diverse Cartoonists | website=PublishersWeekly.com | date=2019-04-17 | url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/79815-marinaomi-shines-a-light-on-diverse-cartoonists.html | access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref><ref name="Steyels 2016">{{cite web | last=Steyels | first=Mike | title=A Peek Inside the Essential 'Cartoonists Of Color' Database | website=Vice | date=2016-09-24 | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/cartoonists-comics-of-color-database/ | access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref> In 2014, they began the Cartoonists of Color Database and created the Queer Cartoonists Database soon after.<ref name="Steyels 2016" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=MariNaomi |title=MariNaomi, Cartoonist/Community Organizer - XOXO Festival (2018) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmdalIsUkss |website=YouTube |date=16 November 2018 |access-date=24 March 2021}}</ref> In 2019, they launched the Disabled Cartoonists Database.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/marinaomi/status/1181714580206022656 |title=I am very pleased to announce that we have just now full-on LAUNCHED the DisabledCartoonists.com database! |author=MariNaomi |website=Twitter |access-date=June 3, 2021 |date=October 8, 2019}}</ref> The opt-in per creator database Queer Cartoonists contains 775 entries as of May 2018 and has been reported to be helpful in the professional careers of upcoming cartoonists.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bergdahl |first1=Esther |title=Rainbow Connection: LGBTQ Publishing 2018 |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/76989-rainbow-connection-lgbtq-publishing-2018.html |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en |date=28 May 2018}}</ref> Librarians and archivists specializing in comic book studies have also highlighted the need for open access databases like these.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quamme |first1=Margaret |title=Virtual Art+Feminism events at Ohio State highlight databases |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/2021/03/18/virtual-art-feminism-events-ohio-state-highlight-databases/4653133001/ |work=The Columbus Dispatch}}</ref>
MariNaomi has written and drawn comics columns for several websites, including The Rumpus and SFBAY.ca.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MariNaomi, Author at SFBay |url=https://sfbayca.com/author/mari/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=SFBay |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MariNaomi |url=https://therumpus.net/author/marinaomi/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=The Rumpus.net |language=en}}</ref> In 2016, they were featured at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center conference on imagined futures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Center |first=Smithsonian Asian Pacific American |title=MariNaomi » CTRL+ALT: A Culture Lab on Imagined Futures |url=https://smithsonianapa.org/alt/project/marinaomi/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=CTRL+ALT: A Culture Lab on Imagined Futures |language=en-US}}</ref> MariNaomi’s column on ''The Rumpus'' won an honorable mention in Houghton Mifflin’s Best American Comics 2013 and a SPACE prize.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2015-12-11 |title=MariNaomi |url=https://pen.org/user/marinaomi/ |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=PEN America |language=en}}</ref> Their art can be found in the Smithsonian, De Young Museum, Cartoon Art Museum, Asian Art Museum, the Japanese American Art Museum, and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MariNaomi |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/MariNaomi/193912583 |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=Simon & Schuster |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> MariNaomi also taught classes for California College of the Arts Comics MFA program.<ref name="MariNaomi {{!}} Fuse Literary">{{Cite web |title=MariNaomi {{!}} Fuse Literary |url=https://www.fuseliterary.com/illustrators/marinaomi/ |access-date=2023-05-24 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Since 2017, they and fellow author Myriam Gurba have been hosting an advice podcast called AskBiGrlz where they answer listener questions.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gurba |first1=Myriam |last2=MariNaomi |title=AskBiGrlz |url=https://www.askbigrlz.com/about.html |website=AskBiGrlz |access-date=2021-03-24 |archive-date=2021-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513091225/https://askbigrlz.com/about.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2011 and 2018, MariNaomi toured with Sister Spit and is also a guest editor of PEN Illustrated.<ref name="MariNaomi {{!}} Fuse Literary"/>
In 2021, MariNaomi created a Stop AAPI Hate mural in Garvey Park in Rosemead, California. The comic-strip inspired 60-by10-foot mural covers the side of a recreational park building.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-19 |title=Murals pop up in San Gabriel Valley to combat Asian hate |url=https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2021/08/19/murals-pop-up-in-san-gabriel-valley-to-combat-asian-hate/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=Pasadena Star News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-28 |title='A call to action': New mural in Rosemead takes aim at wave of anti-Asian hate |url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2021/05/28/a-call-to-action-new-mural-in-rosemead-takes-aim-at-wave-of-anti-asian-hate |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=San Gabriel Valley Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> Connie Chung Joe of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles said the mural is "a wake-up call that Asian-Americans in this country have been scapegoated. Not just by this pandemic, but time and time again in American history.”<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-29 |title=Stop AAPI Hate Comic by MariNaomi Installed as a Mural in Rosemead, California |url=http://www.multiversitycomics.com/news/stop-aapi-hate-mural/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=Multiversity Comics |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Anderson-Minshall |first=Jacob |date=23 June 2021 |title=Queer Comic Artist's LA Mural Combats Anti-Asian Hate |url=https://www.outtraveler.com/exclusives/2021/6/23/queer-comic-artists-la-mural-combats-anti-asian-hate |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203165319/https://www.outtraveler.com/exclusives/2021/6/23/queer-comic-artists-la-mural-combats-anti-asian-hate |archive-date=3 February 2023 |access-date=12 March 2022 |website=Out Traveler |language=en}}</ref>
In May 2023, MariNaomi released their book, ''I Thought You Loved Me''. In this book, MariNaomi goes on an emotional, reminiscent journey to try and figure out why their friendship with Jodie ended abruptly with a phone call. They used details from old journal entries and told the story through colorful collages made with mixed media such as drawings, email threads, and postcards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-28 |title=Cartoonist MariNaomi Goes Digging for Closure in 'I Thought You Loved Me' |url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925644/marinaomi-i-thought-you-loved-me |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=KQED |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Oksman |first=Tahneer |date=16 May 2023 |title=Why friendships end — and why our memories of them fade |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |type=Book review |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/17/marinaomi-thought-you-love-me-graphic-memoir/ |url-status=live |url-access=registration |access-date=24 May 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230517153118/https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/17/marinaomi-thought-you-love-me-graphic-memoir/#selection-307.0-307.14 |archive-date=17 May 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> During the publication process, MariNaomi faced budget issues and even a cancellation, until Fieldmouse Press picked it up.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Rob |date=18 January 2023 |title=Never Gonna Give You Up: PW Talks with MariNaomi |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/profiles/article/91266-never-gonna-give-you-up-pw-talks-with-marinaomi.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524204904/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/profiles/article/91266-never-gonna-give-you-up-pw-talks-with-marinaomi.html |archive-date=24 May 2023 |access-date=24 May 2023 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Their mother is Japanese and their father is a Caucasian American. Born as Mari Naomi Schaal in Texas in 1973, they grew up in Mill Valley, California and later moved to San Jose, California.<ref name="GRM17" /> They began using the name MariNaomi in 2003. They worked in illegal hostess bars while they briefly lived in Japan.<ref name="Davies 2016">{{cite web | last=Davies | first=Rachel | title=Exploring Japanese Identity as a Hostess in Illegal Expat Bars | website=Vice | date=2016-05-24 | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/marinaomi-turning-japanese-interview/ | access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref> They wrote about those experiences in their memoir, ''Turning Japanese''.<ref name="Dueben 2016">{{cite web | last=Dueben | first=Alex | title=MariNaomi Explores Being Young and "Turning Japanese" | website=CBR | date=2016-06-17 | url=https://www.cbr.com/marinaomi-explores-being-young-and-turning-japanese/ | access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref>
Growing up, MariNaomi felt like they were too white to be classified as Asian but too Asian to be viewed as white.<ref name="MariNaomi {{!}} Fuse Literary" /> When they were five years old MariNaomi had a fixation on drawing and doodling.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Lee |date=15 February 2023 |title=A Normal Interview with MariNaomi |url=https://www.thenormalschool.com/blog/2023/2/15/marinaomi-interview |url-status=live |website=The Normal School: A Literary Magazine}}</ref> When they were 14, they picked up the hobby of yo-yoing.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-15 |title=A Normal Interview with MariNaomi by Lee Lee |url=https://www.thenormalschool.com/blog/2023/2/15/marinaomi-interview |access-date=2026-06-01 |website=The Normal School |language=en-US}}</ref> At the same age they began making note of memories as they happened.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bowles |first=Nellie |date=2011-04-08 |title=MariNaomi kisses and tells in graphic-novel memoir |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/marinaomi-kisses-and-tells-in-graphic-novel-memoir-2376392.php |access-date=2026-06-01 |website=SFGATE |language=en}}</ref> Despite them struggling to publish their first book, MariNaomi would joke, saying that "I became an overnight star in 14 years."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirby {{!}} |first=Rob |title=Never Gonna Give You Up: PW Talks with MariNaomi |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/profiles/article/91266-never-gonna-give-you-up-pw-talks-with-marinaomi.html |access-date=2026-06-01 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}}</ref>
In 2023, they worked on another publication that traces their childhood to their present life called "I Thought You Loved Me." MariNaomi has been drawing and publishing for 30 years and, through this work, they are able to make their story and experience heard.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monnier |first=Mia Nakaji |date=2016-05-11 |title=I Was Never Big on Fitting In: The Millions Interviews MariNaomi |url=https://themillions.com/2016/05/the-millions-interviews-marinaomi.html |access-date=2026-06-01 |website=The Millions |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Publications== * ''Kiss & Tell: A Romantic Resume, Ages 0 to 22'' (Harper Perennial, 2011) {{ISBN|0062009230}} * ''Dragon's Breath and Other True Stories'' (2dcloud/Uncivilized Books, 2014) {{ISBN|1941250017}} * ''Turning Japanese'' (2dcloud, 2016) {{ISBN|1937541169}} * ''I Thought YOU Hated ME'' (Retrofit Comics, 2016) {{ISBN|1940398495}} * ''Losing the Girl'' (Graphic Universe, 2018) {{ISBN|1541510445}} * ''Gravity's Pull'' (Graphic Universe, 2018) {{ISBN|1541545265}} *''Distant Stars'' (Graphic Universe, 2020) {{ISBN|1541587006}} *''Dirty Produce'' (Workman Publishing Company, 2021) {{ISBN|1523513314}} *''I Thought You Loved Me'' (Fieldmouse Press, 2023) {{ISBN|1956636161}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://marinaomi.com/ Personal website] * [https://cartoonistsofcolor.com/ Cartoonists of Color database] * [https://queercartoonists.com/ Queer Cartoonists database] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511053920/https://queercartoonists.com/ |date=2020-05-11 }} * [https://www.disabledcartoonists.com/ Disabled Cartoonists database]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:MariNaomi}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American women artists Category:20th-century American women writers Category:21st-century American women artists Category:21st-century American women writers Category:American women comics artists Category:American comics writers Category:American expatriates in Japan Category:American artists of Japanese descent Category:American writers of Japanese descent Category:Artists from San Jose, California Category:Artists from Texas Category:American women comics writers Category:LGBTQ comics creators Category:Artists from Mill Valley, California Category:American queer artists Category:American queer women Category:American queer writers Category:Writers from Texas Category:LGBTQ people from Texas Category:American bisexual women Category:American bisexual artists Category:American bisexual writers Category:Bisexual women writers Category:Bisexual women artists Category:American LGBTQ women writers