Nominations for the 2025 Annual BIPOC Bookseller Award are open July 10 through July 31!​
Nominations close July 31 at 6:00pm MT (Denver time)
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Duende District & The Word present the annual BIPOC Bookseller Awards to celebrate and uplift the BIPOC independent booksellers whose dedication to indie bookstores and their Black, Indigenous, and POC colleagues and communities have touched and influenced countless lives. ​​​
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All BIPOC who work in U.S. independent bookstores in any capacity are eligible to be nominated for the three categories (nominations for the same bookseller in multiple categories is allowed). The winning booksellers will be honored during #MarginsBookselling Month celebrations, and will receive a plaque and a $1,000 prize.
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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Categories:
Activism
This award is for the bookseller who goes above and beyond to advocate for BIPOC booksellers and literary representation in their stores and communities.
Innovation
This award is for the bookseller whose vision, whether entrepreneurial or programmatic, has shown us what the future of the industry should be.
Leadership
This award is for the bookseller who has dedicated their career to supporting, uplifting, and leading BIPOC booksellers in their stores, communities, regions, and/or nationally, fighting for systemic change for all BIPOC in the bookstore industry.
2025 BIPOC Bookseller Judges
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ARTIKA TYNER
Dr. Artika R. Tyner is a passionate educator, author, sought-after speaker, and advocate for justice. Tyner is the CEO of Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore (PPGJ). PPGJ publishes and promotes books that encourage and empower Black children to find joy in reading. In recognition of her leadership and service, she is the recipient of more than two dozen awards that include: Women in Business, American Small Business Champion, International Educator Citizen, Attorney of the Year, and American Bar Association Difference Makers.
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She has been featured in a variety of media outlets. She is a prolific, award-winning author of 30+ adult and children’s books that includes: Amazing Africa: A to Z and The Inclusive Leader: Taking Intentional Action for Justice and Equity. She serves as a global citizen by supporting education, entrepreneurship, and women’s leadership initiatives in Africa. In furtherance of her philanthropic efforts, she founded Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting literacy and diversity in books.
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AUDREY I-WEI HUANG
Audrey has been a bookseller since June of 2017, where she was one of the first hires for a new bookstore, Belmont Books, Belmont, MA. She is an avid reader who focuses on BIPOC creators with all the intersections. She is also a lapsed lawyer. Since she began her career as a bookseller, she has served on various committees and judging panels, including but not limited to Massachusetts Book Awards Non Fiction Judge (2025), Andrew Carnegie Medals of Excellence for Fiction and Non Fiction (2023), NEIBA Awards Committee Member (2020, 2022), ABA Indies Introduce (2021), NEIBA Windows and Mirrors Committee (2020-2021). She currently serves on the DEI Committee for the American Booksellers Association (2021-present) In 2024, she was awarded the NEIBA Handseller of the Year, the second year of the award's existence.
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ROSA HERNANDEZ
Rosa Hernandez is the marketing manager and a bookseller for Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, Washington. She is a member of the American Booksellers Association committee on diversity, equity, and inclusion; a member of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association board of directors; and has served on the PNBA book awards committee.
2024 BIPOC Bookseller Award Winners!
DR. ARTIKA TYNER
Winner of the Activism Award
Dr. Artika R. Tyner is a passionate educator, author, sought-after speaker, and advocate for justice. Tyner is the CEO of Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore (PPGJ). PPGJ publishes and promotes books that encourage and empower Black children to find joy in reading. In recognition of her leadership and service, she is the recipient of more than two dozen awards that include: Women in Business, American Small Business Champion, International Educator Citizen, Attorney of the Year, and American Bar Association Difference Makers.
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She has been featured in a variety of media outlets. She is a prolific, award-winning author of 30+ adult and children’s books that includes: Amazing Africa: A to Z and The Inclusive Leader: Taking Intentional Action for Justice and Equity. She serves as a global citizen by supporting education, entrepreneurship, and women’s leadership initiatives in Africa. In furtherance of her philanthropic efforts, she founded Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting literacy and diversity in books.
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CAROLANN JANE DURO
Winner of the Innovation Award
Hamiintamc puyuhan! My name is Carolann Jane Duro and I am Maara’yam and Kumeyaay descent. I am the founder of Quiet Quail Books, a California Indigenous independent pop up bookstore that sells Indigenous authored books around Southern California!
CHRISTINE BOLLOW
Winner of the Leadership Award
Christine Bollow is the Co-Owner and Director of Programs for Loyalty Bookstores, a Black, Queer, and Asian owned bookstore in Washington, DC and Silver Spring, MD. She is a 2022 Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree, graduate of Barnard College, Fiction Juror for the 2024 Kirkus Prize, and currently serves on the DEI Committee for the American Booksellers Association. Her book recommendations have been featured in multiple publications, including The Washington Post, Electric Literature, and Reader’s Digest, and in the book Bibliophile: Diverse Spines. Christine is the Book Consultant for both Awesome Con and Rose City Comic Con and has moderated countless author events in addition to being a frequent guest on literary panels and bookish podcasts, such as The Stacks, Burned by Books, and the Libro.fm Podcast. As a biracial Filipina who is queer and disabled, Christine is passionate about championing books by marginalized authors both at Loyalty and on her Bookstagram account @readingismagical.
2024 Honorees:
All of our 2024 honorees are incredible and creative booksellers. Thank you to all of you for all you do!
Africa Schaumann, A'isha Saleh, Antonette Franceschi-Chavez, Audrey Huang, Audrey Mueller, Chardai Powell, Dara Landry, Halley Vincent, Jules Rivera, Kevin Plummer, Mel Martinez, Michelle Duke, Nina D. Sanchez, Pal Niekerk, Talia Whyte, Tania Galinanes, Valeria Cerda, and Veronica Soliz Johnson.
Past Award Winners:
Much love and appreciation for our previous award winners!
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ACTIVISM: Serena Morales (2020), Denise Chavez (2021), Pilot Viruet (2022), Erica Tso Haidas (2023)
INNOVATION: Rosaura (Chawa) Magaña (2020), Dartricia Rollins (2021), Anada Werner (2022), Jhoanna Belfer (2023)
LEADERSHIP: Hannah Oliver Depp (2020), Michelle Malonzo (2021), Calvin Crosby (2022), Egypt Otis (2023)
Sponsors
Thank you to our #MarginsBookselling sponsors who ensure this award is brought to life!
Additional Sponsors
Thank you to all our #MarginsBookselling donors who make this award possible!
