Dream Con Spotlights Women Breaking Barriers in Arts & Animation

Behind every animated project and colorful comic panel are artists whose creativity shapes how stories are told. This Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating women in arts and animation whose work is breaking the boundaries of visual storytelling and expanding representation across the industry. 

Tiffany Ford

Tiffany Ford is an animator, storyboard artist, and showrunner who began her renowned career as a design apprentice for Powerpuff Girls before becoming an illustrator for the Cartoon Network series Steven Universe. From there, Ford moved into storyboarding and directing for Craig of the Creek. 

In 2021, Ford was honored with the Next Gen Award from the Black in Animation Awards, recognizing her as a rising leader helping shape the future of animation. Later in 2023, Ford became the first storyboard artist and also co-creator, executive producer, and showrunner for Jessica’s Big Little World, a preschool series centered on the everyday adventures of a young, Black girl. The show has since earned much recognition, including multiple Annie Awards and Children’s & Family Emmy Awards nominations from 2024–2025. 

Ford continues to advocate for diversity and equity in animation. She has participated in events like the Breaking the Glass Frame symposium and AfroAnimation Summit, where she inspires emerging artists and encourages greater representation in the industry.

Did you know? Ford created the colorway for the iconic Cookie Cat mascot from Steven Universe. 

Ashley A. Woods

Ashley A. Woods is a comic book artist and illustrator known for her distinctive art style inspired by anime and manga. She broke into the mainstream comics industry after the success of her self-published action-fantasy series, Millennia War, with her work in Niobe: She Is Life. Since then, she has contributed to major IPs including Tomb Raider, Black Panther, and Wonder Woman. 

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Notably, Woods is the illustrator for Jupiter Invincible, a collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa and AR designer and producer Ram Devineni, that blends the visual storytelling of comics with augmented reality. The series, which has appeared at many major literary events and the Tribeca Film Festival, is a powerful story about an African-American enslaved man named Jupiter, who gains immortality.

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Woods has also been recognized for championing diversity in comics and visual storytelling. Her work on Niobe alone has contributed to breaking new ground for Black female characters in fantasy comics. She continues to participate in panels and events such as the Comics in the City series at the California College of the Arts, where she speaks about self-publishing, the ownership of creative work, and the importance of diverse voices in the industry. 

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Did you know? Woods has credited Sailor Moon as a series that ultimately drew her into comics and anime. 

Lynne Southerland

Lynne Southerland is a veteran animation director and producer, known as the first Black woman to direct a feature-length animated movie (Mulan II, 2004). With a career spanning nearly three decades, she has worked across film, television, and animation, shaping projects for major studios including Disney and HBO. Some of her other notable credits include the Annie-Award winning An Extremely Goofy Movie, Hunchback of Notre Dame 2, and Aristocrats 2. 

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More recently, Southerland serves as the executive producer and showrunner for the Disney Jr. series Ariel, an animated musical inspired by The Little Mermaid. Under her direction, the series earned a second-season renewal, which premiered in January 2026. 

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Southerland has been a long-time advocate for multicultural storytelling in animation and inspiring young girls. Early in her career, she produced the HBO series Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, known for its diverse voice actor cast and multicultural reinterpretations of classic fairy tales. 

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Did you know? Southerland started her career as a film editor on live-action productions such as Sister Act 2 and The Naked Gun before transitioning into animation with the animated series Bebe’s Kids. 

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