One interpretation of the 2022 Black History Month theme of “Black Health and Wellness” includes literacy, education, and building the foundation for sustainable equity, equality, and inclusion. This week, we’re introducing Rofhiwa Book Café and re-introducing Book Harvest, two community partners that exemplify the uplifting of Black Health and Wellness in our community.
Rofhiwa Book Café
With less than 2,500 independent bookstores in the United States and less than 200 of those being Black-owned, Rofhiwa is unique in the experience it creates. Situated on South Driver Street in Durham, Rofhiwa recreates the thriving business district that East Durham provided for the Black community in the early 1900s. Walking these streets in the 1920s and 30s, you would have passed the bustling post office, corner stores, and the Salvation Army. Today, you can still see where the train created a background to the business district that it once was. Inside this landscape, you will find this independent, Black-owned bookstore emerging from the history of the brick building where it resides. Within their walls, you’ll find a range of Black writers for readers of all ages – from the classics to the most recent. You will soon find yourself lost in the carefully curated titles, selected to pique the curiosity of any literary enthusiast. The space creates an atmosphere where you can order your favorite midday sip from their coffee shop and explore the pages of a new read in one of their window seats. Rofhiwa stands strong in an industry backdrop of the need for literacy and the under-representation of BIPOC-owned businesses in rebuilding a historic business district integral to the history of the North Carolina Black community.
Book Harvest
Our partnership with Book Harvest began early in 2021 when we recognized their mission to give the value of literacy to local children through culturally inclusive titles that allow children to see themselves in a positive light, as the writers and characters of their favorite works. With an estimated less than 20% of those that work in literary publishing identifying as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color), and an even fewer 5% of them identifying at Black or African American, representation remains at the forefront of a child’s first encounter with reading. The founders and organizers at Book Harvest NC have recognized this disparity and are working, through carefully curated lists of BIPOC authors and illustrators, on creating an experience that starts at an early age where children can imagine themselves in the pages they explore.
We recognize the invaluable impact our partners have on our community and thank them for their hard work! We also thank and welcome you for continuing to join us on our journey as we learn and grow! If you know of organizations interested in partnering with Weaver Street Market, let us know! It is together that we build a sustainably diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where we all deserve to thrive!