Leticia Gomez

Leticia Gomez is a literary, film, and television agent with expertise in publishing, multicultural literature, and media rights. As president of the Ascendant Entertainment Division of Ascendant Group, Gomez is among the few literary agents in the United States specializing in elevating culturally diverse voices. She also serves as editorial director for Dafina Books, an imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp., which publishes fiction and nonfiction centered on race, identity, and their impact on lived experiences. Dafina, launched as the first African American imprint, has maintained a leading role in highlighting voices of color.

Gomez began her career during the Great Recession, launching Savvy Literary Services in Texas and focusing on the Latino book market. She blended her experience as an author, agent, publishing consultant, and acquisition editor to establish "Café con Leche Books," an imprint of Koehler Books, dedicated to Hispanic publishing. Her work has contributed to the placement of more than 200 nonfiction and fiction books with both independent and mainstream publishers, and she has secured film and television rights for several projects.

Gomez has ranked among the top literary agents in narrative self-help and other categories, according to Publishers Marketplace. She has represented titles such as Barbara Mujica's "Miss Del Rio" and "Machetes Under Our Beds: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Daughters of Latin America," edited by Sandra Guzman and published by HarperCollins.

As a bilingual literary agent, Gomez's editorial vision at Dafina reflects a commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices. She acquires multicultural fiction and nonfiction across genres, including literary fiction, commercial fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery, and narrative nonfiction, with a focus on authors of color and projects for marginalized communities. Gomez also develops workshops for universities, corporations, and non-profits, offering guidance on writing and publishing, and is a frequent speaker at corporate events, non-profit meetings, and university programs.