St. Pete is celebrated for its fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, world-class food scene, and thriving cultural atmosphere but the people of St. Pete truly make this city something special. In appreciation, each month Green Bench shines a light on one of the many people that make St. Pete unique.
This month we are celebrating Lorielle Hollaway. As the founder of Cultured Books and the founder and executive director of the Cultured Books Literacy Foundation, she is on a mission “to foster a love of self by showing positive images and sharing great stories about people of color.”
How Can I Be Part of the Change?
Born and raised in St. Pete, Hollaway came of age during a time of heightened social unrest and media coverage connected to the deaths of unarmed Black people. Her college anthropology courses provided an academic foundation for understanding how language can influence society, but the often negative and misleading nature of the media coverage swirling around these tragedies offered real-time evidence of the power of public perception. Hollaway wanted to do something to shift the narrative and be “part of the change,” so she participated in marches and social-justice protests as well as attending City Council meetings. Ultimately, however, she realized that her efforts would have more impact if she followed her passion. The idea for the Cultured Books bookstore was born.
The Idea: Cultured Books as Activism
As Hollaway explains, she wanted to create “a place where Black children’s existence is affirmed, valued, and celebrated but also a place where families can find books that broaden their world view.” Whether reading pictures or reading words, books can offer Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) youth a way to see themselves in a positive light. Books can also be a way for people to imagine the world beyond their own experience. Books can help build empathy. For this to happen, however, kids (and their families) need to experience diverse stories, including books where they can imagine themselves in the story. Hollaway’s parents made sure that she was surrounded by stories where she could see herself, but she knows not all kids have that experience. Determined to make her dream a reality, Hollaway went to work. In 2016 she completed the 10-week Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurial Academy® and then she added the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation’s CATCH program to her resume. By 2017, she knew she was ready. She sold her first book at the Soul on the Deuces Street Festival. Cultured Books had launched.
Building a Foundation: Cultured Books
Since that first sale, Cultured Books has continued as a pop-up and online book seller. In 2018, Hollaway established the Cultured Books Literacy Foundation (CBLF) as a way to further “foster a literacy lifestyle … through art, music, and books.” Hoping to boost its public profile, Hollaway participated in the 16-week Social Ventures Fast Pitch competition for non-profits. She won. The $15,000 grand prize helped fund new endeavors, including the Art of Literacy Residence Program and the inaugural 2022 St. Pete Reads Lit Fest. Looking forward, Hollaway is not done dreaming big. Her three girls inherited her passion for stories. As co-chairs of the Youth Advisory Council, Nadia, 13, and Ava, 11, are forming a literary club that combines books and activities. A born leader, Joyce, 4, directs everyone and helps choose books. Together, they’ll continue to plant seeds that bring books to life.
The deadline for the November 2023 Lit Fest is March 31. Interested in taking part? Visit www.culturedbooks.org.
