Little Free Library fights racism by diversifying its book-sharing boxes: 'Everyone should see themselves'

Literary trailblazers Sarah Kamya and Onikah Asamoa-Caesar previously started diversity initiatives around the country to better educate Americans through reading. Kamya started placing books about Black history, Black culture, and ones that celebrate African American children or those with diverse backgrounds into these little libraries. Asamoa-Caesar, the owner of Fulton Street Books & Coffee in Tulsa, Oklahoma, started subscription box services to boost diverse voices.

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USA TODAYCOALESCENCE
125 Black-Owned Bookstores in America That Amplify the Best in Literature

In the wake of the tragic killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor—combined with the global uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic—the United States is in the midst of a national revolution. While institutionalized racism and police brutality have long been a part of America's history, millions across the country are now reconciling with and addressing generations of racial inequality. For some, that means taking to the streets in protest. For others, it's uplifting the cause by supporting Black-owned businesses, or seeking education through anti-racist literature.

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O MAGAZINECOALESCENCE
This Black Woman-Owned Bookstore Has an ‘Ally Box’ Subscription for White Readers Who Want to Learn More

If you, like so many people, are using this moment to educate yourself about racial injustice, white privilege and police brutality, it can be hard to figure out where to start when there's so much worthy literature out there. Enter the Ally Box, for "those who want to start but may not know where or how, or what to read first, or what it truly means to be an ally."

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PUREWOWCOALESCENCE
Books, Coffee and Belonging

Onikah Asamoa-Caesar creates space for community, connection and conversation. The first thing you need to know about Fulton Street Books and Coffee is that it is not on Fulton Street. The second thing you need to know about Fulton Street is that it’s not a place. It’s a feeling. Fulton Street is a community. It’s belonging. It’s representation. It’s home.

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Celebrating Black-Owned Indie Bookstores

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the American economy, especially small businesses like independent bookstores. This Indie Bookstore Day, we celebrate the great value of independent bookstores as centers for education and imagination—virtues that have never been more crucial to our well-being, amid a time of unprecedented isolation and national reckonings with injustice.

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