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In light of criticisms from BIPOC booksellers during the Winter Institute 2024 regarding the predominance of white-centered business practices in traditional bookselling, the American Booksellers Association (ABA) is introducing Ignite, a complimentary pre-conference event this year. Ignite aims to foster connections between booksellers and bookstore proprietors of color and BIPOC authors and editors, facilitating vital discussions on entrepreneurship and equity within a diverse publishing ecosystem.
Scheduled for Saturday, February 22, Ignite is structured to ensure accessibility for authors, editors, and sales representatives who may not have the means or opportunity to attend the main conference. ABA CEO Allison Hill has revealed that over 125 booksellers have signed up for Ignite, with around 40 authors, editors, and publishers expected to join them.
The program will begin with welcoming remarks from Hill and other executive officers, including Ray Daniels, P.K. Sindwani, and Joy Dallanegra-Sanger. This will be followed by a session featuring publishing representatives presenting upcoming titles from authors and illustrators of color.
Two plenary discussions will follow the opening session. The first discussion, titled “Shelf Life: Empowering BIPOC Booksellers in White-Dominated Spaces,” will delve into the challenges faced by these booksellers in predominantly white environments and share strategies for success. This session will be led by DEI consultants K.J. Williams and A.J. Williams of Risewithus. The second discussion, “Mission, Community, Entrepreneurship,” will be moderated by Jamie Lujan of Saluzo Business Solutions, Danny Martinez of Apex Business Consulting, and branding expert Olivia Omega, focusing on the unique challenges and prospects BIPOC retailers encounter.
Hill emphasized the initiative’s purpose as a catalyst for broader change within the industry, explaining that it was the driving force behind the name Ignite.
To conclude the program, there will be a reception for authors and editors, followed by meetings for affinity groups representing AAPI, Latinx, Hispanic, Black, and Indigenous booksellers.
The foundation of this program is grounded in extensive feedback from ABA members, post-event debriefings after WI2024, and research conducted by ABA staff on effective strategies for transforming predominantly white institutions. The vision for a pre-conference event emerged from suggestions made by David Landry, co-owner of Class Bookstore in Houston and member of the ABA’s DEI council. Hill noted that Landry’s recommendations generated enthusiasm and were instrumental in shaping Ignite into a transformative initiative.
The design of Ignite also directly responds to requests from BIPOC booksellers for community engagement, education on works by authors of color, and connections with relevant editors and authors. Hill pointed out that the content of the educational sessions was developed based on registrant surveys. “We aimed to create two sessions that would address as many of the requests as feasible,” she stated. “The response from both booksellers and publishers has been overwhelmingly positive, and Ignite has ignited significant conversations within the industry, which we hope will enhance support for BIPOC booksellers and BIPOC-owned bookstores.”
Ignite is part of a broader initiative by the ABA to support booksellers of color. The organization has implemented an identity search on Indiebound.org to increase visibility for historically marginalized bookstores. Additionally, they have begun conducting anonymous surveys to gather feedback from their members and have reached out to Black bookstore owners to understand barriers to participation in ABA events. Last year, the ABA hosted two forums specifically for Black booksellers, along with two general BIPOC bookseller forums, facilitating direct dialogues with ABA leadership. The ABA is also exploring the feasibility of moving future Winter Institute events from February to aid bookstores in prioritizing Black History Month.
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A version of this article appeared in the 02/10/2025 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: Ignite Catches Fire
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