Help make WORD UP a permanent bookstore Uptown!
The opening of WORD UP marked an exciting day for our community. Since our opening, we’ve hosted readings by novelists, comic book artists, performance artists, travel writers, zinesters, poets—both famous and first-time, English and Spanish, teen and adult; live music—free improv, hip-hop, Latin jazz, poetry/performance; informative publishing Q&As; children’s story hours; knitting and crafting circles; women’s self-defense clinics and literary journal showcases.
Because of your support and the help of Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance we have been able to get an extension from Vantage Residential until the end of September. But what about beyond September? Help us keep Word Up in the neighborhood permanently.
We believe WORD UP should be a permanent fixture in the lives of the elderly, the adults, and especially the children of this neighborhood. Our kids need to have a safe place for culture and books that they can grow up calling home.
Please take a moment to sign this petition which we will pass along to all of our local leaders who can make our hopes of extending WORD UP come true. YOUR NAME AND VOICE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
We only have until September 30th, 2011 til our lease ends. Please sign your name in support of in-kind space in Northern Manhattan where WORD UP can continue to exist.
We, the undersigned, support WORD UP, a community bookshop, as we believe in the importance of having a community space for books, arts and culture in Northern Manhattan.
Run entirely by volunteers from Washington Heights, since its opening in June WORD UP has served as a grassroots bookstore that truly reflects our community with books in Spanish, English and Russian. Since its opening, it has also hosted
readings,
live music, poetry and theatrical performances,
informative publishing Q&As,
children’s story hours,
knitting and crafting circles ALL COMPLETELY FREE to the public.
We are grateful for the space extension from Vantage Residential that allows WORD UP to stay around until the end of September.
But we believe this is not enough. Why should our neighborhood bookstore be temporary? We believe it should be a permanent fixture in the lives of the elderly, the adults and especially the children of this neighborhood, who are in need of a community space for books, arts and culture.
Please help us find permanent in-kind space that will allow WORD UP to remain in Washington Heights and serve as the only community space for all uptown artists, children, youth and seniors to enjoy.
We thank you in advance for your support.
