Hey, y’all! Dr. Tasha here, founder and owner of Left on Read, Wichita’s independent Black-owned bookstore and currently the only Black-owned bookstore in Kansas.

When we opened in November 2024, we wanted to create a bookstore centered on Black literature and guided by a mission to amplify representation, cultivate perspective, and empower community. Since then, Left on Read has become a gathering place where people discover new voices, learn, create, grow, feel safe and seen, and simply be.

Building this bookstore has been rewarding and financially demanding. Our recent move to Revolutsia was unexpected, and it would not have happened without the generosity of Mike Ramsey of Bokeh Development.

Earlier this year, grant funding that supported TMBP Media ended unexpectedly. Because Left on Read, The Millennial Black Professor®, and TMBP Media are interconnected, that loss negatively affected the bookstore.

I continue to teach and pursue paid consulting, speaking, and instructional work to support the business. Much of what we’ve built has come from limited resources, a great deal of work, and the support of people who believe in Left on Read and have invested in it.

Taking leaps of faith is part of how I move through the world. Opening Left on Read required a leap. Moving locations required another. Being honest about where we are and asking our community to help is the next one.

For this year’s annual 11.30 campaign, celebrating two years in business on November 30, 2026, we’re raising funds to stabilize Left on Read’s daily operations, address staffing needs, strengthen inventory, maintain programming, and support the long-term health of the bookstore and community space we’ve created.

We believe deeply in what we’ve built and want Left on Read to be here for a good AND long time.

If you’re able, please contribute to the campaign. If you can’t give right now, sharing it, leaving a Google or Facebook review, or telling a friend to tell a friend is also appreciated.

Thank you for believing in Left on Read and helping us write the next chapter.