Overview: Get Lit Books & Things, a queer, Black and woman-owned bookstore, celebrated its one-year anniversary with a range of events, including a back-to-school themed “Unicorn Story Hour” for children, raffles, discounts, a book reading and signing with poet Yazmin Monét Watkins, and an open mic night. Owners Danielle and Ruthie Myers-Porter expressed their gratitude for the support and opportunity to live out their dream, and their plans for the future include offering workshops and community-serving events to combat negativity in the world.
Alyssah Hall
Queer, Black and woman-owned bookstore Get Lit Books & Things held its one-year anniversary event at their shop located in the Moreno Valley Mall on Sept. 6. Wives and owners of the bookstore, Danielle and Ruthie Myers-Porter, opened up their bookstore on Sept. 1, 2024.
“It’s exciting and I can’t believe that we’re here. It still feels like we just opened. It still feels very brand new. But, it has been such an amazing and loving year. It’s been extremely hard, but the best kind of difficult. It’s just been definitely a learning experience, growing, but just so much love along the way,” Danielle said.
“We thought we were opening a bookstore, and we’ve actually opened a community space where there’s a space of love and inclusivity and acceptance and people feel safe here. It is so much bigger than we ever thought it would be and it feels like so much has transpired in this year. But also it feels like we opened yesterday,” Ruthie said.
The anniversary event featured a “Unicorn Story Hour” for kids to participate in, with a back-to-school theme where children were invited to wear onesies and do crafts. They also held raffles and discounts throughout the day to honor their anniversary.
In the evening they hosted a third book reading and signing with poet, comedian, writer, actress, educator, and organizer, Yazmin Monét Watkins. Watkins shared poetry from her book of poems, “A Vessel Born to Float.”
The event wrapped with an open mic night, where family, friends, customers and community came in and shared their talents of song, comedy, writing, poetry and more, in a safe and inviting space.
Danielle and Ruthie met at the Black Lesbians United 2019 retreat which is also where they met Watkins. Watkins shared poems from her book that centered around love, loss and grief, queer identity, and the Black woman experience.
“She’s one of the authors that we met there. She is a huge deal, and she is so lovingly gracing us with her presence and her time here in the store to do a reading and signing of her poetry book,” Ruthie said.
“I’ve known Danielle and Ruthie for some time, and it’s just so exciting to support a queer Black woman- owned space. One of my dreams when my book came out, was to perform at and share at queer bookstores, queer Black-owned bookstores, queer Black women-owned bookstores around the country. And to be here with them, especially on their one year anniversary, is so special. So I’m honored to be here,” Watkins shared.
Another friend, supporter and attendee of the Get Lit Books & Things anniversary celebration was sign language interpreter, Kyla Wilkenfeld-Bronson. Wilkenfeld-Bronson shared that Danielle and Ruthie are “chosen” family members and have been with Wilkenfeld-Bronson and her wife Jeanette through “thick and thin.”
“Both of them [Danielle and Ruthie] played best women at our wedding. We wouldn’t be anywhere they’re not. But the reality of this store is it’s their dream come true, and it’s awesome to see that it’s been other people’s dreams, that didn’t even know they had this dream. They’re coming into this place and being comfortable and finding their home. It’s just fun to be part of that,” Wilkenfeld-Bronson said.
Before the open mic hour, guests and celebrators were welcomed to cake, coffee and other treats, as well as buying three used books to get one free or also spinning their prize wheel. Danielle shared with attendees that Get Lit Books & Things has been a “labor of love” and she and Ruthie shared their gratitude for the support and opportunity they received to live out their dream. They asked everyone to share one word about their store or their experience with it to which they received responses like “resilience,” “joy,” “belonging,” and “coziness.”
Throughout the night Danielle and Ruthie also made sure to share their list of thank yous to everyone they love and have been supported by.
Young poet Synai Allen attended the celebration with her father, Brandon, who is also a poet and whose work lines the shelves at Get Lit Books & Things. Although nervous to debut at her first open mic night, Allen shared a poem about love that was well received by the audience.
“Because I had just recently got published, I thought it would be a great idea to do an open mic to get my voice out there. So it just makes sense,” Allen said.
Danielle and Ruthie see the future of Get Lit Books & Things leaning into more community-serving events to combat the negativity in the world. They want to continue to be a safe space for people and offer workshops in sewing and crocheting, and expand into gardening, yoga, meditation, financial literacy and life skills courses.
“We’ve partnered with the library and a lot of these other organizations, such as the LGBTQ center out here… if we have a kid in crisis or we have someone who has needs, where can we direct these people? So, we’ve also partnered with Chase Bank to get people at their backpack drive,” Ruthie stated.
“So if we can find a really good resource, we do our best to make sure that…we put it in the community’s hands, and that’s where we’re going next” Ruthie continued, “is services and community serving events.”