About 

Hi! I'm Shebani. I'm an Indian-American comic artist, illustrator, writer, and visual artist based in Philly. I make art about race, immigrant communities, social change, health, pop culture, and more.

My work has been published in McSweeney’s, LitHub, the South Asian Avant-Guard (SAAG), The Margins, and Buzzfeed, and my visual art has been featured by organizations like Twelve Gates Arts, The Resource Exchange, and the South Asian American Digital Archives (SAADA). I’ve worked with nonprofits like the Burns Institute and Community Justice Exchange and collaborated with other artists on projects ranging from visual essays to webseries to band tees (I love band tees).

Let’s make something together! Email me for inquiries: shebani.rao@gmail.com.

Check out my daily comics on Instagram: @shebanimal.

PUBLICATIONS

McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

Shebani Rao. “Youtube Yoga for South-Asian Americans.” 2023.

The Belladonna Comedy

Shebani Rao. “The Summer I Turned Back to Ugly.” 2023.

SAAG, Volume 2, Issue 1

Shebani Rao. “A Freelancer’s Guide to Decision-Making.” 2023.

Soham Dance Space website

Reflections on Soham’s “Transform/Affirm” Kick-off Convening. 2022.

Lumpenpockets Mag, Issue 1

Shebani Rao. “Social Distancing Guide for Desi Parents.” 2022.

Cape Mag, Issue 1

Shebani Rao. “What to do if you have a crush.” 2021.

LitHub

Shebani Rao and Sejal Shah. “Finding Friendship in Pandemic Collaboration.” 2021.

Haywood Burns Institute

Illustrated EM Toolkit: Ending the Use of Virtual Shackles. 2020.

The Margins, Asian American Writers’ Workshop

Illustrated Kimarlee Nguyen’s short story, “This Is a Story We All Know.” 2020.

On Privilege, Fraudulence, and Teaching As Learning: Selected Essays 1981-2019

Illustrated famed sociologist and feminist Peggy McIntosh’s collection of essays. 2019.

Tides Magazine

Kamaladevi comic featured in article, “The Other Kamala.” 2019.

Buzzfeed India

 "This Woman Imagined Desi Women as Hollywood Romcom Leads and We Need to Make This Happen." 2017.

The Aerogram 

"Illustrator Shebani Rao Shares 'Eight Things Only Desi-American Kids Will Understand." 2017.

"Comic Celebrates Life of a Badass Desi Feminist Hero." 2017.

Buzzfeed

 "Someone Illustrated Leslie Knope's Compliments and They're Pretty Damn Cool." (I'm the "Someone.”) 2016.

 "Someone Illustrated Leslie Knope Compliments and They Rock." (I'm still the "Someone.") 2016.

HelloGiggles 

"This Illustrator Turned Leslie Knope's Best Compliments Into Motivational Posters." 2016.

Teaching, Speaking, Interviews

Guest lecturer

Georgetown University, “Oral History and Comics” lecture for an English course, Asian American Women’s Literature. 2023.

UC Davis, “Personal Liberation Through Comic Art” workshop for the UC Davis Women’s Center. 2021.

UC Davis, “Quarantine House” workshop for a Women’s History course, Literature as Aesthetics of Resistance. 2021.

Panelist

St. Joseph’s University. Participated in a discussion on working with the South Asian American Digital Archives (SAADA) and engaging with community history through art. 2019.

George Washington University, Participated in a discussion on art and activism with GWU’s South Asian Society. 2018.

Interviews

Apex Express. “Talking About Comics” podcast w/Thi Bui and Rachelle Cruz. 2018.

The Aerogram. “A Q&A With Comics Creator Shebani Rao.” 2018.