From the Membership Coordinator: SIBA Bookstores Say ICE Out
From the Membership Coordinator
Bookstores Say ICE Out
On Friday, January 30th, grassroots organizations in Minnesota called for a nationwide strike to protest ICE. According to the official website, strikes took place in all 50 states, and more than 1000 organizations participated.
Below is a roundup of actions 65 stores in SIBA’s territory took on January 30th.
How is your bookstore supporting your community? Please contact Candice and let us know!
44th & 3rd Bookseller, Atlanta, GA
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
A Cappella Books, Atlanta, GA
Donated 10% of sales to the National Immigrant Justice Center.
Archimedes Loft, Monroe, NC
Remained open as a safe space for the community.
The Archive, Mount Pleasant, SC
Donated a portion of sales to Immigrant Legal Services.
Atlanta Vintage Books, Atlanta, GA
Remained open and provided free alert whistles, and encouraged cash transactions.
Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA
Remained open as a safe space for the community.
bbgb, Richmond, VA
Hosted an all-day children’s book swap and donated books to the Children’s Book Bank. Also donated a portion of the weekend’s sales to support booksellers in Minneapolis.
Belmont Bookshop, Belmont, NC
Remained open and hosted a community night.
Birchtree Bookstore, Leesburg, VA
Offered postcards to send to elected officials and sold RESIST t-shirts, as well as encouraged cash sales.
Blackbird Books & Coffee, Raleigh, NC
Offered supplies and resources for the community to write letters to senators, create zines, and make protest signs.
Blinking Owl Books, Fort Myers, FL
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
Blue Cypress Books, New Orleans, LA
Made an initial donation of $700 to three local groups providing direct aid to folks impacted by ICE, and donated any profits earned on January 30 on top of the initial donation. Also running a merchandise sale and donating $5 of every purchase.
Bluebird & Co., Crozet, VA
Set up a letter writing table with contact information and scripts to help the community reach out to senators and representatives.
Book + Bottle, Saint Petersburg, FL
Remained open and gave away Pocket Constitutions for free.
The Book Bird, Avondale Estates, GA
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
The Book Cellar, Conyers, GA
Remained open as a safe space for the community.
Book Ferret, Winston-Salem, NC
Donated 20% of sales to the National Immigration Law Center.
Book People, Richmond, VA
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
The Book Worm Bookstore, Powder Springs, GA
Remained open as a safe space for the community.
Bookish Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
Closed in solidarity with the strike and held a community organizing potluck. Also handing out whistle packs, “melt ice” vinyl stickers, and red cards to the community for free.
Books & Books, Coral Gables, FL
Donated a portion of sales to Americans for Immigrant Justice supporting immigrant communities in south Florida.
The Bookshop, Nashville, TN
Closed in solidarity with the strike and encouraged the community to cancel their Amazon Prime memberships.
Brave + Kind Books, Decatur, GA
Closed in solidarity with the strike and encouraged donations to the International Community School.
Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY
Remained open and offered free books to the community. Prior to the strike, they organized a letter writing campaign to support booksellers in Minnesota.
Charis Books and More, Decatur, GA
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
Cleary’s Bookstore, Mount Holly, NC
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
Dickson Street Bookshop, Fayetteville, AR
Donated 10% of sales to the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund set up by the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.
Dog Ear Books, Russellville, AR
Donated a percentage of sales to the Alliance for Immigrant Respect and Education (AIRE).
E. Shaver, Bookseller, Savannah, GA
Donated a portion of sales to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota.
Eagle Eye Books, Decatur, GA
Hosted a fundraiser for the ACLU.
Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC
Remained open and used their regular bookish trivia night to raise funds for Siembra NC, a local organization fighting for immigrant rights.
Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
The Gilded Page Bookstore, Tarpon Springs, FL
Remained open as a safe space for the community.
Golden Fig Books, Durham, NC
Donated 25% of sales to Unidos Minneapolis.
Good Girl Books, Knoxville, TN
Donated a portion of sales to local mutual aid organizations that support immigrants.
Itinerant Literate Books, North Charleston, SC
Remained open as a safe space for the community.
Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA
Remained open and encouraged cash only transactions. Hosted post card writing, crafting, storytime, and a book swap. Donated a portion of sales from the weekend before to mutual aid organizations in Minneapolis.
The Lynx Books, Gainesville, FL
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
Main Street Books, Davidson, NC
Hosted a community day and donated to Circle De Luz, whose work empowers young Latinas in Charlotte.
A Novel Romance, Louisville, KY
Remained open and encouraged cash transactions and people to write letters to and/or call representatives.
Novelette, Nashville, TN
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
Old Town Books, Alexandria, VA
Remained open and provided information and scripts to contact representatives.
One More Page Books, Arlington, VA
Remained open and encouraged customers to donate to Stand with Minnesota and the Publishing for Minnesota Auction.
Page 158 Books, Wake Forest, NC
Donated the proceeds from all sales to the ACLU of Minnesota.
Paper Hearts Books, Little Rock, AR
Remained open and provided scripts and supplies for letter writing and calls to lawmakers.
Park Road Books, Charlotte, NC
Remained open and encouraged customers to write letters to senators and call representatives.
Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN
Remained open for folks in the area without power to warm up (89,000 people, including many Parnassus booksellers, were without power due to an ice storm) and donated a portion of sales to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota.
Pearl’s Books, Fayetteville, AR
Provided free coffee and donated 15% of sales to the Alliance for Immigrant Respect and Education (AIRE).
Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
The Regulator Bookshop, Durham, NC
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
Resist Booksellers, Petersburg, VA
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
The Roasted Bookery, Wilmington, NC
Remained open and offered yarn, tools, and a crochet pattern for a resistance hat. Also offered free coffee and tea.
Shelf Life Books, Richmond, VA
Closed in solidarity with the strike and donated 20% of sales from the weekend to the Richmond Community Legal Fund. Also offered a 20% discount on activism and abolition titles during the weekend.
South Main Book Company, Salisbury, NC
As of January 24, closed indefinitely in solidarity. The store posted on Instagram, “We refuse to participate in an economy that condones state sanctioned murder.”
The Stacks Bookstore, Savannah, GA
Closed in solidarity with the strike.
Story on the Square, McDonough, GA
Remained open and provided templates and supplies for customers to mail letters to representatives.
Thank You Books, Birmingham, AL
Donated 10% of sales from the week of January 25-31 to support the Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama.
That’s Novel Books, Charlotte, NC
Remained open as a safe space for the community.
Tombolo Books, St. Pete, FL
Remained open and encouraged the community to write letters to lawmakers. Gave away “Know Your Rights” cards in various languages and supplies to make protest signs, and encouraged cash transactions.
Trope Bookshop, Charlotte, NC
Donated to Stand with Minnesota.
Troubadour Booksellers, Charlotte, NC
Donated a portion of sales to the Carolina Migrant Network
Tubby & Coo’s Traveling Book Shop, New Orleans, LA
Donated 10% of sales from their location inside of The Good Shop to the Immigration Rapid Response Network. Donated 100% of profits from Bookshop.org sales to the Southeast Dignity Not Detention Coalition.
Two Friends Books, Bentonville, AR
Donated 20% of sales to the Alliance for Immigrant Respect and Education (AIRE), offered free coffee and non-alcoholic beverages to anyone participating in the strike, and gave a 3% discount on all cash transactions.
Underbrush Books, Rogers, AR
Partnered with Dandy Roll to donate 15% of all sales to the Alliance for Immigrant Respect and Education (AIRE) and encouraged cash transactions. Also hosted letter writing for people to write to representatives.
Wild Aster Books, Chamblee, GA
Remained open and offered cardboard, markers, and table space for the community to create protest signs.