At 27th Letter Books, an independent bookstore in Southwest Detroit, folks can find a selection of books that highlight underrepresented voices. The bookstore’s mission reflects curiosity, community, accessibility, inclusivity, sustainability and equity.  

“As an Asian business owner, I feel a lot of pride in using this platform as a way of elevating the Filipinx community, but also a lot of responsibility for situating our business morally and ethically,” says Drew Pineda, one 27th Letter Books’ four owners. “Our nation is founded upon a relationship of extraction, exclusion and erasure with regards to land and community. What this means is that it’s important to me to steward what we offer — books, stories and ideas — in a way that honors our past and our ancestors while creating space to imagine a more liberated America.” 

27th Letter Books hosts open mics, author events and gallery shows. Its book club, the Ampersand Book Club, meets every second Saturday of the month. 27th Letter Books also runs an ongoing book drive to benefit Alternatives for Girls; any books purchased from their curated selection go to the nonprofit, which works to help girls and young women facing housing insecurity.