In this fun episode, Nancy and Jose are joined in studio by the Owner of Libelula Books & Co., Jesi Gutierrez. We hear the passion from this lover of books, art and the fusion of the two as a way to expand appreciation for literacy and comprehension.

Jesi, a resident of Barrio Logan, who lost her job as an arts & literacy elementary school teacher during the pandemic, used the opportunity to push forward on a 10-year dream to open a different kind of bookstore. The manifestation of a long running "what would you put there?" game for years with her partner as they walked by an empty store, Libelula has become part bookstore, part community center, part tutoring center and "a place to be" for the incredible Barrio Logan neighborhood.

Some amazing takeaways from the interview with Jesi Gutierrez:

- Art is storytelling, so fusing art and reading is a powerful way to drive literacy
- There is a large demand for Spanish language books as they fly off the shelves!
- On Libelula's block, there are 30 female owned businesses!
- The "every other month" book club is an innovative idea, born from Jesi's challenges with
dyslexia...no need to rush, take your time!
- How Libelula addresses a gap called "not having a book store" in a neighborhood
- Jesi's intentional focus on diversity in authorship to feel welcoming for all
- The answers to the Rapid Fire questions!

A truly fun interview from a phenomenal gap minder. Thank you, Jesi Gutierrez, for your contributions to the community, literacy, books, and for joining us on The Gap Minders.

Enjoy this episode and be sure to subscribe to the show.

If you have any questions or want to contact Nancy or Jose, please send an email to podcast@uwsd.org. Thank you for listening.

To learn more about the two social impact organizations making The Gap Minders possible, please visit www.TheGapMinders.org.