USA: The Real and Digital Unite for Latin American Literature · Global Voices
Yarisa Colon

La Casa Azul – an online bookstore that is administrated by Aurora Anaya-Cerda – has recently announced it is going to collaborate with a new bookstore located in Washington Heights,  New York.  Word Up (@wordupbooks) has two goals: to spread Latin American literature and independent bookstores.
La Casa Azul has not only been awarded several times, but it also has done some remarkable work. In a Latina Book Club interview, Aurora explains that her digital platform has had books – and audiobooks – in Spanish and English since 2008. Aurora also organizes a reading club in the Museo del Barrio, in New York City, since the club was opened,  where people can have a conversation with different writers. The special guest for the next gathering will be Esmeralda Santiago who will talk about her new novel Conquistadora.
Although the Word Up story is a little bit different, it is also incredible. Months ago, Veronica Liu, the co founder of Fractious Press and Seven Stories Press editorial, met with the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance and Vantage Residential people in order to analyze the possibility of creating a community bookstore. This goal was attained.
The following video by ArtbyDJBoy shows the  tremendous energy this space has inspired:
We also include a request link to support this club as a permanent project, since it is temporary.
As a matter of fact, the association between both bookstores has been remarkable. Like the  Casa Azul online bulletin informs, it released its new bilingual magazine The Rio Grande Review which was created by the creative writing students in the University of Texas, in El Paso. You can see the online version of the magazine here.
You can visit both bookstores, either the real or the digital one.