After ICE agents descended on the Twin Cities in December, especially Minneapolis, many of the area’s booksellers have pivoted to support their communities and writers have borne witness—in the streets, on the page and social media, even participating in a virtual vigil. Last week, a group of industry insiders in New York City organized a two-day online auction to benefit mutual aid organizations supporting Minnesotans and immigrants that raised more than $216,000.

Publishers are also stepping up to various degrees. Many of the Twin Cities publishers contacted by PW closed their offices on January 23 during a statewide strike to protest ICE, and again on January 30 during a nationwide strike against ICE. Employees have been given the option of working remotely, and are allowed time off to participate in anti-ICE protests scheduled during the work week. Companies have also established protocols to protect their employees in case ICE agents show up on the premises.

But several Twin Cities presses and an independent publisher headquartered in California are going even further to support Minnesota—especially its children.

Lerner Publishing Group publicity director Lindsay Matvick says that Lerner, which is headquartered in downtown Minneapolis, is funneling books to young readers through A Book of My Own, a Minnesota organization providing access to books for children in need.

“They are all donations for kids who are doing at-home learning. Kids aren't feeling safe going to school,” she said. Many Twin Cities schools have suspended in-person instruction, while others provide the option to attend classes remotely.

One of the titles LPG has been donating in large quantities is Kao Kalia’s Yang’s latest picture book offering, A Home on the Page (Carolrhoda, illustrated by Seo Kim), which launched February 3 at Xia Books in St. Paul, an indie bookstore that opened last September and specializes in books by Asian American authors.

“A Home on the Page is very timely,” Matvick said. “It's about a little girl who wakes up to see racist language painted on her mailbox and wants to move because she no longer feels safe in her home.”

Noting that the launch party had to be moved to Xia Books from St. Paul's Mississippi Creative Arts School due to safety concerns and that Lerner has been donating F&Gs and then ARCs before switching to finished copies, Matvick said that A Home on the Page “is the kind of the book that we're focusing on with the community—it's what the kids need right now.”

Lerner has also begun this week donating books to AmazeWorks, a St. Paul–based organization that launched a program, “Books for Belonging,” to distribute book bags to area families that contain five or six picture books, along with read-aloud discussion/activity guides and wellness activities.

Beyond Minneapolis

On the other side of the Mississippi River, Artika Tyner of Planting People, Growing Justice, which publishes multicultural books for children, says that she is expanding on programs already in place, such as book donations to St. Paul schools that are located in underserved communities.

Planting People also holds a monthly literacy program called “Leaders Are Readers,” which includes book giveaways to participants. “We’re continuing that work,” she said, “but adding another dimension: we’re now offering additional basic necessities and food resources to the community.”

Approximately 2,000 miles away from Minnesota, the Collective Book Studio in Oakland, Calif., has to date donated close to 1,000 board books and Spanish-language books to bookstores, schools, and organizations in the Twin Cities, such as My Very Own Bed, which provides beds and linens for children transitioning to permanent housing, and Strive Bookstore in downtown Minneapolis. Strive, which is affiliated with Strive Publishing, has been working with that organization on a book drive to which the Collective Book Studio is in the process of donating books.

“I am Minnesotan through and through,” explained publisher Angela Engel, who was born and grew up in Minneapolis. After reading PW’s recent story on Twin Cities children’s bookstores contending with ICE, Engel said the publisher sent 700 books to Red Balloon Bookshop, which is partnering with various organizations to put Spanish-language books in the hands of children forced to stay home from school. Engel also said the publisher just donated 200 books to the Minneapolis school where her sister teaches fourth grade.

“For me, it’s about how are we all stepping up in this time,” Engel said. “And how can I inspire other publishers to help, especially publishers of Spanish-language books? I have a couple of Spanish-language titles, but it’s not enough. If I can get the word out, and then other publishers reach out to me, I can put them in touch with organizations in Minnesota to donate to and other resources.”