MINNEAPOLIS — At Strive Bookstore, you can find a wide array of books, from locally published to national titles.
“This memoir reflects the Black experience in north Minneapolis," said owner, Mary Taris.
Taris is the founder and CEO of the publishing company and bookstore located inside the Chameleon Consortium at the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis.
“I had fond memories of coming downtown as a teenager, and I grew up in north Minneapolis and I used to just catch the bus downtown," she said.
Tarias started the publishing company in 2018 after noticing there weren’t a lot of Black voices represented in literature.
“After years of teaching in the public schools, I still was not finding books about and for Black people that the children wanted to read, so I decided we need to get more books in the world by Black people," she said.
The bookstore held its grand opening as the city of Minneapolis celebrates Black Business Week. The week-long event brings together business owners, entrepreneurs and the community.
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s an opportunity to amplify, celebrate, strengthen and support Black-owned businesses in Minneapolis.
"It's an opportunity to hear from business owners about their needs and a good way for everyone to connect," Deebaa Sirdar, senior policy aide for Ward 8 in Minneapolis.
"There are tons of talented writers in the Black community and they just haven’t had the access to publishing," said Taris. "When I started, I found out fewer than 5% were in the publishing business, authors.”
She’s providing an opportunity to celebrate Black culture and heritage through literature, while inspiring future authors.
"We need your voice, we want to center your voice, and help you be heard, if you have a story let it in to the world.”
The Strive Bookstore summer book talk series will feature children’s book authors every other Saturday from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., starting July 30, and authors in the adult genre every other Wednesday from 5-7 p.m., starting Aug. 3.
For more information, visit the website visit the site here.
Black Business Week goes until Sunday, July 31, which leads into National Black Business Month in August. For more information on events, visit the site here.
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