A Homecoming while Book Touring: Honoring Storytelling, Community, and the Power of Black Bookstores
Today is Juneteenth and I’ve been deep in reflection about how emotionally nourished my book tour has left me feeling. There’s just something special about meeting people face to face, heart to heart.
There are moments on a book tour that don’t feel like an event—they feel like a return. That’s what my experience on the Bibliotherapy in the Bronx book tour felt like: a homecoming.
These gatherings weren’t just readings or a Q&A, they were gathering of hearts. Teachers I admire, elders I grew up respecting, young readers who radiated hope, and neighbors who understand the pulse of healing through books all gathered under one roof to hold space for storytelling, conversation, and community.
To say I’ve been overwhelmed with gratitude is an understatement.
Honoring a Community Archivist: Ed Cohen
One of the most moving parts my stop at Olive Tree Books-n-Voices in Springfield, MA was having it documented by Ed Cohen, a legendary photographer who has been capturing life (specifically Black life) in Western Massachusetts since 1975.
Ed doesn’t just take pictures he preserves memory. His work spans weddings, protests, performances, and everyday moments that, without someone like Ed behind the lens, might otherwise be forgotten.
Ed is more than a photographer in this community where my husband grew up- he’s a community archivist, someone who ensures our collective moments of joy, resistance, and reflection are not just remembered, but felt. I’m beyond honored that he chose to lend his eye and heart to this moment in my journey.
The Role of Community Leaders
We often think of leadership as something formal, something tied to titles or institutions. But leaders like Ed and Zee Johnson (and so many others in our communities) remind us that leadership is also about presence. It’s about showing up, bearing witness, preserving what matters, and affirming the sacredness of everyday life.
In every city, there are people quietly tending the soul of their communities. They’re photographing, archiving, planting, organizing, mentoring, and keeping watch over our stories. They are the stewards of our collective memory. We honor them by remembering them, too. May today be a day of collective remembering and celebration. May every moment we gather together be a nourishing one, just as these moments have been for me.
A Gentle Ask
If you’ve ever been moved, seen, or healed inside a Black bookstore consider showing your support. Buy a book. Visit in person. Tell your friends. These spaces matter deeply.
And if you haven’t yet picked up Prose to the People, add it to your reading list. It’s not just a book it’s a love letter to the communities that keep our stories alive.
With love and deep gratitude,
Emely Rumble, LCSW
Author of Bibliotherapy in the Bronx
Founder of Literapy NYC | Healing Through Books