Mercedes Valle is a writer, martial artist, and recovering lawyer born in New York City. Growing up as a bisexual Black and Latinx woman, she found her community at Princeton's Taekwondo Club, where she competed at the collegiate level. After earning a master's degree in Korean Studies in Seoul, she returned to the US and left her law career to pursue writing. Valle has written for live-action and animation projects, including DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and is also an experienced martial artist, instructor, and competitor.