Tag Archives: Word Up Community Bookshop

Word Up Community Bookshop’s Quinceañera

Word Up Community Bookshop / Librería Comunitaria turns 15! Please join us to celebrate our Quinceañera.

  • Poetry from Sheila Maldonado, Araceli Flores, and Miriam Flores.
  • Music from DJ Michou, Collective for Arts Music and Dance, and Academia de Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer.
  • Face painting, magic, and art activities for children.
  • Dance lessons.

Afterparty at Word Up Community Bookshop with DJ Delaceiba starting at 8pm.

¡La Librería Comunitaria Word Up cumple 15 años! Acompáñanos para celebrar nuestra Quinceañera.

  • Poesía de Sheila Maldonado, Araceli Flores y Miriam Flores.
  • Música a cargo de DJ Michou, Collective for Arts Music and Dance y Academia de Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer.
  • Pintura facial, magia y actividades artísticas para niños
  • Clases de baile.

Fiesta posterior en la Librería Comunitaria Word Up con DJ Delaceiba a partir de las 8 p. m.

Word Up Community Quinceañera After Party

Word Up Community Bookshop / Librería Comunitaria turns 15! Please join us to celebrate our Quinceañera.

Afterparty at Word Up Community Bookshop with DJ Delaceiba starting at 8pm.

¡La Librería Comunitaria Word Up cumple 15 años! Acompáñanos para celebrar nuestra Quinceañera.

Fiesta posterior en la Librería Comunitaria Word Up con DJ Delaceiba a partir de las 8 p. m.

Word Up Community Bookshop: New Date June 3rd – Leah Kim’s MOM, UNFILTERED with Frederick Joseph

Word Up welcomes mental health advocate and storyteller Leah 수진 Kim to discuss her new book, Mom, Unfiltered: Maternal Mental Health and Finding Freedom Through Motherhood, a deeply personal examination of the dire state of our maternal and postpartum care for mothers.

In conversation with Kim will be Frederick Joseph, author of This Thing of Ours and Patriarchy Blues: Reflections on Manhood.

This event is a $5 suggested donation ticket with 30 max attendees. Please register in advance.

ABOUT THE BOOK
For expecting and new parents, too often the care is so focused on a healthy baby that the mother’s physical and mental needs are overlooked. Mothers face intense pressure to have the perfect birth plan, breastfeed with ease, and immediately bond with their baby. Unfortunately, these expectations can lead to anxiety, depression, and overwhelm. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Mom, Unfiltered is profoundly personal and brutally honest, yet it is ultimately deeply hopeful. It is about survival and growth, an invitation to move beyond our current social, cultural, and familial realities to support mothers in a meaningful way-physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Word Up Community Bookshop: EL VIAJE DE UNA BANDERA: Iris Morales with Angel Antonio Ruiz-Laboy

Word Up welcomes activist and author Iris Morales and translator Angel Antonio Ruiz-Laboy to share their book A Flag’s Journey, now available in Spanish! Based on true events, A Flag’s Journey is a powerful story about identity and standing up to injustice—told through the eyes of a young Puerto Rican boy in 1990s New York City.

This event is a $5 suggested donation ticket with 30 max attendees. Please register in advance.

Word Up Community Bookshop is located at 2113 Amsterdam Ave. (& 165th St.) in Washington Heights, NYC. You can take the 1 train to 168th St and the A/C train to 163rd or 168th  St.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Based on true events, A Flag’s Journey is a powerful story about identity and standing up to injustice—told through the eyes of a young Puerto Rican boy in 1990s New York City.

Ten-year-old Andrés Rivera loves baseball and spending time with his best friend. After a championship win with his Little League team, he goes with his family and best friend to the Puerto Rican Day Parade. What begins as a joyful day of cultural pride and celebration takes a sudden turn when Andrés becomes the target of a racist incident involving the Puerto Rican flag—an act that makes newspaper headlines.

As he questions what happened, Andrés has eye-opening conversations with family, teachers, and classmates about Puerto Rican history, the impact of racism, and the role of media in shaping public opinion. Through these experiences, he gains a deeper appreciation for community, the strength of friendship, and—most of all—the power of young people to create change.

A Flag’s Journey is a meaningful and uplifting chapter book featuring relatable characters and vibrant illustrations. With a historical timeline and glossary included, it’s a valuable resource for classrooms, libraries, and family reading time—perfect for readers ages 9–12.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Iris Morales is an educator, activist, and author. A Flag’s Journey, her first chapter book (2025) was translated into Spanish this year. She is also the co-author of Vicki: A Summer of Change, a children’s picture book, and has written and edited many books, anthologies, and poetry collections for adults. Her work is dedicated to exploring social justice themes and sharing the rich history and culture of Puerto Rican and other communities of color.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR

Angel Antonio Ruiz-Laboy is a multidisciplinary cultural leader, curator, writer, and educator with almost two decades of experience working across government agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofit arts organizations in Puerto Rico and New York. Trained in comparative literature, creative writing, fine arts, and cultural administration, his practice is rooted in an interdisciplinary approach that bridges scholarship, artistic production, and public engagement.

Word Up: Story Time — Apolonia Valiente’s “The Words Will Come”

Word Up welcomes children’s book author Apolonia Valiente for an interactive weekend storytime featuring The Words Will Come, a picture book for ages 3–7 that celebrates all the ways children communicate.

Kids will engage through movement, observation, and choice, making the storytime welcoming for every communication style. Caregivers will leave with ideas to support and celebrate their children’s voices.

This storytime is especially meaningful during Autism Awareness Month (April) and Speech & Language Development Month, highlighting inclusion, empathy, and understanding for young learners.

Bring your curiosity, your questions, and your joy — this storytime is for every child and caregiver ready to explore connection, patience, and the power of listening.  Learn more at open_in_newwww.avstorytime.com and follow @av_storytime on Instagram.

This event is a $5 suggested donation ticket with 30 max attendees. Please register in advance.