Reading. Conversation. Community.
Meet the Bronx Book Spaces Leading the Way
Across the Bronx, reading is more visible, accessible, and part of everyday life. It’s in the conversations after a reading, the laughter of kids at a pop-up, the quiet moments over coffee with a good book in hand.
Strait Connect is dedicated to telling the stories of these spaces that are expanding reading, literacy, and conversations in our borough. We want to celebrate the people who make that possible — the bookstores, initiatives, and founders who are creating places where stories come alive.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to each of these contributors, their offerings, and how they’re inviting the Bronx to read together more often. For this first edition, we want to welcome you to five places leading the way.
Nefer Bookcafe – Founder: Lonna “Pumpkin” Dawson
Located in the Northeast Bronx, Nefer Bookcafe opened in 2025 and is quickly becoming a community hub. The community can grab a coffee, explore a curated selection of books and local art, and stay a while for conversation. Lonna “Pumpkin” Dawson designed the space to be welcoming, reflective, and open to dialogue — a place where stories and neighbors come together.
What to check out: Book-themed events, workshops, and cozy corners for neighborhood conversations.
The Lit. Bar – Founder: Noëlle Santos
The Lit. Bar opened in 2019 after years without a bookstore in the Bronx. Located in the South Bronx, it combines a bookstore with a wine bar and hosts regular author talks, readings, and community events. It’s become a consistent site for literary engagement and cultural dialogue.
What to check out: Author talks, book club nights, and curated collections highlighting local and diverse voices.
Tuma’s Books – Founder: Fatuma Hydara
Tuma’s Books operates online and through pop-up events, bringing selected, culturally rich books — especially by BIPOC authors — to readers across New York. Fatuma Hydara began this as an educator who saw how representation in reading could shape how people see themselves and each other. She uses community events and partnerships to make diverse stories accessible and encourage dialogue about the books we read.
What to check out: Pop-up book sales, family events, and curated reading lists celebrating multicultural voices.
Loc’d & Lit – Founders: Triciah Claxton & Alanna Lewis-Ramirez
Loc’d & Lit started as a community-focused platform led by lifelong friends Triciah Claxton and Alanna Lewis-Ramirez. While currently online and through pop-up events, their mission is clear: bring reading to where people are, host discussions that matter, and eventually open physical bookstore spaces in neighborhoods with limited access. Through book clubs, giveaways, and public events, they invite voices into conversations about reading as an active part of life.
What to check out: Pop-up book events, community discussions, and collaborative reading challenges.
The Bronx Is Reading – Founder: Saraciea Fennell
The Bronx Is Reading is designed to grow interest in reading and writing, especially among students and young people. Its Bronx Book Festival and associated literacy programs bring authors, books, and reading activities into schools and public spaces. The festival covers a wide range of topics relevant to the Bronx community through panels, workshops, and more — featuring award-winning and bestselling authors, illustrators, and creators. It also supports Title I schools and encourages deeper engagement with reading skills and literary curiosity.
What to check out: Bronx Book Festival events, school programming, workshops, and community literacy initiatives.
Why This Matters
Independent bookstores and literacy initiatives are building communities, creating space for conversations, and connecting communities with books and literary experiences including access to the publishing industry. In a borough that often goes unheard, these spaces are proving that stories have power — and that literacy can bring us together.
What’s Next
Visit a local Bronx bookstore this month and attend a reading or workshop
Share a book with a neighbor, friend, or family member
Join a discussion, virtual or in person, hosted by one of these spaces
Encourage a young reader to participate in a local program
Subscribe to Strait Connect to stay updated on readings, events, and community conversations — and help us keep the Bronx reading together. Invite a friend or neighbor to join, and bring a story into someone else’s hands this month.
