In June, Strive Publishing opened a second store location in the Young Quinlan Building downtown. The Black-owned community publishing company was started five years ago by educator and publisher Mary Taris, who wanted her students to see themselves in the books they were reading, “I had been teaching in the public schools for many years and just became frustrated with the lack of books that represent children of color, Black children specifically”. In 2018, Strive was born, and has since expanded rapidly. “I’m just really excited about serving the downtown community and becoming a staple here,” Taris says.
Despite a start in children’s books, Strive now publishes books for readers of all ages and interests. After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Taris received a flood of manuscript submissions, many of them memoirs. “I think people just want to be heard. Specifically they want to be part of the solution…I realized that it’s not just about children’s books” she says, reflecting on her own experience of not feeling seen or represented by a book until she was in her 20s.
Strive’s new store is just the place for readers to feel this sense of representation with shelves filled with diverse selections of children’s books, YA reads, and a variety of adult fiction and nonfiction. Along with Strive-published books, the store features collections from local, independent publishers such as Elva Resa, a local publishing company that since 1997 has published content catered towards military families, and Green Card Voices, a multimedia group based in Minneapolis that elevates immigrant voices.
The new location already is, and will be, more than a bookstore. “I really want to focus on this beautiful space. Making it a community space, a go-to-place where people can feel comfortable and free to come in as they are and be their authentic selves. To connect with others across cultures and across different races,” says Taris. Currently, the back half of the store is set up with an exhibit exploring the history of Black heritage and the Kentucky Derby. The space is also in the process of developing a collaborative workspace, along with space for events, workshops, and author signings.
Taris stresses the importance of education and mentorship in her approach to the business. “A lot of my work has been about access, creating access to the literary arts. We’ve had grants to do writing workshops, book clubs, and partnerships with other publishers as well as other organizations”. Future programming is catered towards Black authors and publishers, looking for information on how to approach the industry. “Minneapolis is known to have a rich literary scene; some of us don’t even know about it,” she notes.
Wondering what Mary’s favorite Strive-published read is? She recommends Blend in or Fade Out, a memoir by Minneapolis author Colonese M. Hendon. Pop by Strive bookstore and check it out. With Strive’s impressive approach to publishing, and their rapidly developing presence in the community, it is a business not to miss out on.
Strive Bookstore, 901 Nicollet Mall (located in the Young Quinlan building), Mpls., 763-270-5738, strivepublishing.com
