our journey.
2015
“My piece of activism is the bookstore. I want not to change minds, because I don’t want to believe that everybody is already programmed into thinking a certain way, but to broaden the way people see themselves and see each other, and I want to do that through books, especially for children,” - Lorielle, Founder
2016
Incorporated Cultured Books bookstore
Spring 2016 BB&T Entrepreneurial Academy Graduate
Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation CATCH Graduate
2017
Sold our first book, Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou, pictures by Jean-Michel Basquiat at Soul on the Deuces Festival
2018
Established a monthly book club. Our first book was a play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. After the reading, we took a trip to the American Stage Theater to watch the play.
Received the keys to the building! Opened a permanent pop up on Sundays at The Well.
Incorporated Cultured Books Literacy Foundation
2019
Established the Int’l Children’s Film Series at the Royal
Co-hosted our first community event with the WORD Initiative, Poetry in the Gardens at the Woodson African American Museum of Florida.
2020
Crowdfunded $25k to establish the Book Report Project, an alternative currency that allows children the opportunity to purchase a book with a book report
Filmed the pilot for Read About It!, an unscripted series that brings books to life through literary based field trips throughout Tampa Bay, Fl
Hosted the first the Art of Literacy gallery pop up at Coastal Creative, featuring community art
2021
Awarded funding from Pinellas Community Foundation, Social Justice grant to conduct the Family Literacy Engagement Study under the St. Pete Reads! Initiative
2022
Awarded funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Pinellas and the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners to establish the Art of Literacy Residence Program
Created the St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest in partnership with Barbershop Book Club and St. Petersburg College to entertain, engage, educate, and empower through children’s literature and to highlight literary arts programs and resources accessible to youth and families residing in South St. Pete! Follow @StPeteReadsLitFest on Instagram.
who we are.
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Lorielle J. Hollaway
Founder
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Nadia + Ava Hardy
Youth Advisors
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Miriam Pardoll
Secretary
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Dulani Porter
Board Member
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Dawn Goddard
Board Member
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India Torrez
Board Member
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Josie Caglianone
Treasurer
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Brooke M. Harris
Board Member
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Ray Grace
Volunteer
lit. partners + collaborators.
lit. community supporters.
Tommie & Joyce Frazier • Eric & Traci Hollaway • Rosalyn Bryant • Keosha E. Kenndedy • Dr. LaDonna Butler • Veatrice Farrell • Rebecca Wilson • Carrie Boucher • Leigh Davis • Maureen McDole • Linsey Grove • Kristal Frazier • Tiffany Razzano
Thank you!
A big thank you to our commUNITY for supporting our efforts to make having a #literacylifestyle accessible to all!
Lorielle J. Hollaway, Founder
notes from the founder.
