HarperOne Group has inked a partnership with JVL Media, a new publisher and packager launched earlier this year by EGOT-winning actress Viola Davis, her husband and producing partner Julius Tennon, and Houston-based publisher Lavaille Lavette.

HarperOne’s Amistad imprint will serve as a publishing partner for three of JVL Media’s inaugural titles, which are slated for 2025. Two of JVL Media’s previously announced titles—Had to Lose to Win: The Tiki Davis Story by Tiki Davis and The Inclusion Leader by Johné Battle—will be published in association with Amistad, as well as the newly announced Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church by L. Michelle Smith. The partnership does not currently extend to the two fiction titles on JVL Media’s inaugural list.

“We’re thrilled to embark on this publishing journey with Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, and Lavaille Lavette through our partnership with JVL Media,” said HarperOne Group president and publisher Judith Curr. “Together, we aim to amplify authentic voices and untold stories that will resonate deeply with readers.”

“JVL Media stands as a be for nuanced storytelling,” said Lavette, who directs publishing and packaging activities at JVL. “We are wholeheartedly devoted to fostering joy, inspiring wonder, and unlocking the limitless power of literature to unite us all.”