At Yu and Me Books, writers of color take center stage.
Raised by a single mother who had immigrated from China , Lucy Yurecalls the significance of story in her childhood . “ When my mom and I readThe Kite Runner , we both were obsessed , ” she recalls . “ My mummy see herself and her family in the al-Qur’an , and I saw more of her experience in it . Encountering a tale like that really bridged the col between our generations , and , now , as an grownup , I better sympathise how unmanageable it was for her to hail to this area — a completely strange place . partake stories like that was a way we could come together . ” before long enough , Yu take after her mother ’s footsteps by entering the scientific discipline field of force , where she work for three age as a chemical substance engineer while finally balancing a second task as a line cook . “ I loved the storytelling prospect of food , but I began to understand what in force manner to tell story than with record book ? ”
Yu had been edge nigher and nigher to her longtime dream of open a bookstore , and after some research , a business plan , and a GoFundMe Sir Frederick Handley Page , she openedYu and Me Books , a shop inNew York City ’s Chinatown that shines a brightness level on immigrant report . The place boast upwards of 2,000 titles that Yu and her squad thoughtfully curate , along with a coffee shop space and a robust lineup of programing , including author reading and residential area events .
Here , Yu shares with us the meaningful aspiration behind her store ’s first step , how fib can change the universe , and why community and ego - care are everything when it comes to entrepreneurial achiever .
Photo by Victoria Morris, courtesy of Yu and Me Books
Thrillist : What was the biggest aspiration behind your store ’s opening?Lucy Yu : I lost one of my good supporter , James MacDonald , in 2020 . I was going through that heartache at a time when a lot of hoi polloi were going through grief . I have a section of the store dedicated to him — some shelves of record book that I think he would really enjoy . James was someone who always put his passionateness first , and when he had an idea to do something , he did it . I found that very inspiring . That result prompt me that life is short , and that I wanted to pour all of my vigor into something that was a dream of mine . I see just how urgent it was for me to play along my passion .
What is the mission of Yu and Me Books?When I first initiate the store , I require to focus on immigrant stories and taradiddle of those who have felt othered . Writers of color are not always put at the vanguard , and I want to dedicate my time to putting these stories in the spot . There ’s no lack of workplace that is out there , it ’s more so about how it ’s being presented to the ecumenical hearing . I wanted my store to facilitate everyone finger welcome there .
How have our recent time compute into the motivation for this space?There has always been a motive for narrative from mass of colour — when you grow up without see yourself represented in a lot of these narration , you ’re hungry for something you ca n’t quite put your finger on . Still , the conversation has shifted during the pandemic as a outcome of the Black Lives Matter and anti - hate crimes movement — the medium has brought these communities to the attention of the general world . I ’ve always felt that there was an grandness to creating this space of storytelling for all , and I feel it was important to act on this rather than later .
When did you reset the importance of story in your own life?My mom raised me as a single parent for the majority of my biography , and even when she was working so heavily , so many hours a week , she always first put thing that would assist me to see earth outside of my own . She put me in art classes and piano class , even when I knew it was difficult for her to pay for such things . And she always share taradiddle with me — she understand to me a great deal . We shared in those experiences together when I was growing up .
How has your mother ’s experience shape your own?My mom was the manager of a laboratory and she used to train people , and they would cut her off all of the time , telling her to speak English — because she had an idiom . I always found it amazing that she was able-bodied to pick up a new language in a new country and lick in that lyric , specially in the science field . Only recently have we started to talk more about that , and I am realise more and more just how unmanageable that must have been to go through , especially in her work — a field that is male - dominated . She inspired me to become a scientist , and even today I was one of the very few woman in my class . That is something my mom and I can talk about , that is an experience we share .
How can the floor of others help oneself us?It can be so hard to experience like you do n’t know anyone else hold up through an experience you are . I ’m an only child , and it was challenge to not have a sibling who I could turn to and be like , “ What is happening ? Why is this going on ? ” Stories are a quilt in helping us feel a little less alone . When you move to a different land and do n’t really live where plate is , and when you ’re finding your own home and building your roots in a new house , make stories in which other mass have had standardised experience can avail those rootage grow a morsel and finger a trivial more homey . There is a lot of healing that can pass just from lecture about things , rather than bottling them up . Even if we ourselves do n’t have the room or words to express how we ’re feeling , hearing someone else ’s watchword might help us to heal a little snatch .
Photo by Victoria Morris, courtesy of Yu and Me Books
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Meet one of the Mujeres Fuertes ofZacapa Rum , a power plant group of charwoman who share a sexual love for Zacapa and recrudesce down bound in traditionally male - reign industries . Miami - hold Chef Grace Ramirez grew up around rum and when she ’s not repping Zacapa as its spherical ambassador , you may find her working with World Central Kitchen , a chef relief team that provide meal to masses in need during difficult times .
What advice would you extend women hope to spread business of their own?I make mistakes all of the clip , but I have to mistreat back and remind myself of how terrific I feel doing it , and how wonderful the community feels being a part of it . To do something that I ’ve always woolgather of doing is so worth it . The grown fight for me is my ego - dubiety . I think it ’s important to acknowledge the self - doubt that you have because sometimes it can be useful in changing your idea and assist to press you fore — while not allowing it to overtake everything to the point that you become stuck . That is something I seek to learn every sidereal day — and in sharing that , I always trust that others feel less alone in their own experience .
Did you know any setbacks in opening the store — and do you still?Yes — there are setbacks every day . I poured my life delivery into the memory , and a pot of the other fiscal income was through GoFundMe . Seeing the amount of supporting that be reminded me of how important this space was for others . When you ’re embark on your own business organization , you have to really rely on yourself and your own goals and your own thoughts for how you require the business to run — but support is evenly crucial . I ’m lucky to be surrounded by awful friends , a really great spouse , and a marvellous rotary that have kept me moving frontward when I did n’t believe in myself . As a woman — especially a woman of colour — belong through those aspects in which there are so many barriers to entry to set forth your own business and becoming your own manager — it is not an easy matter to do . I remember the value in taking it one solar day at a meter .
Photo by Victoria Morris, courtesy of Yu and Me Books
How do you curate your record selection?That is the hardest and also the most fun part of the job ! I wish we had more shelf space . I imagine because I ’m an Asian - American occupation possessor , a batch of people expect us to have only Asian - American stories , and that was never my goal . I make certain that we ’re being inclusive and showcasing Indigenous tale , and stories from Black and Latinx authors . All of our account overlap in so many ways . I trust that for us to share ledge space together is a really beautiful thing that can impart our communities nigher .
Zacapa Rum Master Blender Lorena Vásquez (left) and Chef Grace Ramirez.|Photo courtesy of Zacapa Rum
Photo by Victoria Morris, courtesy of Yu and Me Books
