Sister's Uptown Bookstore and Cultural Center has served uptown Manhattan for 25 years but now faces potential closure due to declining sales and rising challenges. Owned by Janifer Wilson, the bookstore opened in 2000 and has become a community hub focused on diverse reading. Sales dropped significantly during the pandemic, influenced by gentrification, online retailers, and political pressures relating to a DEI movement. Wilson is crowdfunding to keep the bookstore open and plans an anniversary event to celebrate its legacy and attract families, emphasizing the importance of cultural history in personal growth.
"Our history is trying to be eradicated, between banned books and closing institutions. They are just trying to write us off, as if we don't exist or we don't belong here. So, I'm holding on - I'm holding on for dear life," explained Wilson.
"If you don't know from whence you came, you're going to have a difficult time moving forward into becoming who you are and finding what your purpose is," the business owner added.
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