Oak Park’s learning hub offers more than just a read to those that come through its doors
Throughout Black History Month, Republic FC will highlight and celebrate Sacramento’s Black Business community and its amazing contributions to the region’s culture and economy. Each Monday, the club will profile a business, urging fans to explore and find new local favorites. To help create a connection with the new businesses, the club will provide fans with a chance to win gift cards & prize packs to open a new audience to business leaders in the region.
When Sacramento’s Underground Books opened its doors in 2003, the Oak Park neighborhood it calls home had gone over 30 years without a public library to serve its students and community members.
Filling a unique gap in their community, the store and team behind it has achieved some special things since opening its doors. A part of St. Hope, a non-profit founded by former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, the location has become among the city’s most impactful, leading a number of community revitalization projects through its family of sister organizations. Under the leadership of St. Hope CEO Cassandra Jennings and Georgia “Mother Rose” West, the location serves as a hub for community giving and learning, while also being one of the largest sellers in the nation offering reads on black history, culture, and experience.
Come 2023, the store will mark its 20-year anniversary, an achievement made even more impressive by what its accomplished year-over-year during that time. Since 2005, they’ve provided continuous internship and employment opportunities to students of Sacramento High School, part of their ongoing effort to revitalize and give back to the residents of Oak Park. Each year, they bring on a small group of current and former students in both volunteer and paid positions, giving them crucial early career experience.
The store also hosts book signings for local authors, giving Northern California’s creative minds crucial exposure that can be difficult to acquire.
“Bringing local authors in helps cut through difficult economic barriers while also bringing our community together and provides great critical thinking,” said Jennings. “We also want people to be able to meet some of the people around them who are writing truly great stories.
More important to them, however, is the ability of what they provide to serve as a space to not just start conversations and dialogue about equality, but continue them. They’ve prided themselves in providing something for everyone, whether its access, exposure, or a place to learn.
“What we want to do is bring unity and understanding to those who walk through our doors,” said West. “The outcome of that is a fully integrated community that accepts all people for who they are and respects one another.”
Learn more about Underground Books online at sthope.org, or visit them at 2814 35th Street in Oak Park. Don’t miss the opportunity to win a prize pack including a gift card to the shop. Check out Republic FC’s Instagram page to enter this week’s business giveaway.
