Asian American Female Owned Bookstore in Manhattan
Donation protected
Let's get the first Asian-American female owned bookstore / café / bar open in Manhattan!
Hi Everyone!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come to this page, I really appreciate it! My name is Lucy Yu and I am so excited to open my own bookstore / café / bar that focuses on the strong, diverse voices of our community, with a focus on immigrant stories. My hope is to create a home that I never found in a bookstore growing up. The name is Yu and Me Books and the initials YM are actually my mother's initials to showcase the stories and love in different languages that have been passed down for generations. Also, just a great pun of a name (and you know I'm a sucker for a good pun).
This past year, I have found so much comfort and joy in reading the stories of others, which has helped me to both see myself differently and gain new perspectives on life. My dream is to create a space where we can dream together, share our passion, strive for change, and push systems closer to justice. My heart is broken knowing that someone who looks like me is being attacked, and in the last year, I've felt the fear of leaving my home to run errands while looking out every which way to make sure I could get to my destination safely. The world around us has felt terribly unsafe, but a safe place that I've found is delving into the worlds written by those who also look like me and have articulated what it is like to feel like me. I've also learned so much from reading from perspectives different from mine and I learn more and more every day diversifying my own reading. I want to share those perspectives with everyone else and to show the complicated emotions of being proudly me yet the fear that is and always will be lurking behind my confidence. There is a huge lack of representation within the literary space, and I would love to create a space where everyone feels welcomed and heard. It's something special to read a story that you relate to and see yourself represented after a lifetime of not being able to. I am incredibly excited to embark on this journey of sharing stories with you for years to come in a safe community space to sip, read, and foster some amazing conversations (I know we’re all itching for some great in-person interactions!).
Thank you all for hearing me and for supporting me! I'm hoping to open the store in East Village, LES, or Chinatown (as I'm working through some retail spaces). Any little bit helps (even $5), and I hope through this crowdfunding effort that I will be able to get a head start on opening this space (goal is by the end of this year!). I’ll definitely provide updates as things progress!
#SmallBusinessRelief
Hi Everyone!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come to this page, I really appreciate it! My name is Lucy Yu and I am so excited to open my own bookstore / café / bar that focuses on the strong, diverse voices of our community, with a focus on immigrant stories. My hope is to create a home that I never found in a bookstore growing up. The name is Yu and Me Books and the initials YM are actually my mother's initials to showcase the stories and love in different languages that have been passed down for generations. Also, just a great pun of a name (and you know I'm a sucker for a good pun).
This past year, I have found so much comfort and joy in reading the stories of others, which has helped me to both see myself differently and gain new perspectives on life. My dream is to create a space where we can dream together, share our passion, strive for change, and push systems closer to justice. My heart is broken knowing that someone who looks like me is being attacked, and in the last year, I've felt the fear of leaving my home to run errands while looking out every which way to make sure I could get to my destination safely. The world around us has felt terribly unsafe, but a safe place that I've found is delving into the worlds written by those who also look like me and have articulated what it is like to feel like me. I've also learned so much from reading from perspectives different from mine and I learn more and more every day diversifying my own reading. I want to share those perspectives with everyone else and to show the complicated emotions of being proudly me yet the fear that is and always will be lurking behind my confidence. There is a huge lack of representation within the literary space, and I would love to create a space where everyone feels welcomed and heard. It's something special to read a story that you relate to and see yourself represented after a lifetime of not being able to. I am incredibly excited to embark on this journey of sharing stories with you for years to come in a safe community space to sip, read, and foster some amazing conversations (I know we’re all itching for some great in-person interactions!).
Thank you all for hearing me and for supporting me! I'm hoping to open the store in East Village, LES, or Chinatown (as I'm working through some retail spaces). Any little bit helps (even $5), and I hope through this crowdfunding effort that I will be able to get a head start on opening this space (goal is by the end of this year!). I’ll definitely provide updates as things progress!
#SmallBusinessRelief
Organizer
Lucy Yu
Organizer
New York, NY