[Crwt-undergrad-info] UCR MFA Alumni [CW-Grad] Cellar Door Books

Thu Jan 19 11:54:42 PST 2023

Thanks, Tom and Goldberry. I called and left a message.

I've personally seen the sneers and the disgusted looks from Arcade
customers and staff at Cellar Door's BLM window display... I can see why
the assistant manager would say they support the bookstore now that they're
getting pressure from community members.

All best,
Rachelle Cruz

[she/her]  |  rachellecruz.com  |  @rawqeli <https://twitter.com/rawqeli>
|

*Experiencing Comics: An Intro to Reading, Discussing & Creating Comics* |
Cognella, 2018  |  Buy
<https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/book/9781516516988>
*God's Will for Monsters,* a 2018 American Book Award Winner |  Inlandia
Books, 2017 |  Buy <https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/book/9780997093247>
*Kuwento: Lost Things, An Anthology of New Philippine Myths* | Carayan
Press, 2015 |  Buy <http://www.kuwento.carayanpress.com/page4/>

On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 11:32 AM Amy Hough <ahoug002 at ucr.edu> wrote:

> Message sent. Fingers crossed we can turn this around!
>
> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 11:19 AM Goldberry Long <goldberry.long at ucr.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Thank you Sarah! As I said elsewhere, I can't confirm that it is
>> definitely Arcade behind the eviction.  I do know that they asked the
>> center's security to make Linda stop holding Drag Queen Story Hour
>> (although they won't admit it) and they have been openly hostile to
>> progressive causes (including an "Impeach Newsom" sign in their window and
>> one owner retweeting the "Planned Parenthood sells baby parts" canard), but
>> I cannot definitively link the owners to the eviction.  Please keep this in
>> mind when protesting.
>>
>> The landlord is the definitive cause of the eviction, and can easily be
>> contacted via the information below.  It may well serve our goal of
>> standing up for Cellar Door to focus on the landlord.
>>
>> GB
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 10:44 AM Sarah Helms <shelm007 at ucr.edu> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi all, I went the route of leaving a negative Google review and then in
>>> my message to Canyon Crest management, elaborated some support for Cellar
>>> Door Books and let them know about said review. I don't think negative
>>> comments reviews are the always the best answer in our world...but felt ok
>>> for this, to me. Here is my review if helpful to anyone who would want to
>>> do the same.
>>>
>>> In good conscience, I don't recommend coming to any Arcade location.
>>> Honestly I really wanted to ignore the politics of this business' owners
>>> because they are a local business with nice seating areas and decent
>>> coffee, even when I knew they did not follow mask mandates (that would have
>>> at least protected their most health-vulnerable customers). I was still ok
>>> supporting them and appreciated the space. The reason I'm writing this
>>> review now is that the conservatism of this business / its owners is
>>> infringing on the freedom and operations of the only independent bookstore
>>> in Riverside, Cellar Door Books, which is directly next to Arcade's outdoor
>>> seating area. Cellar Door Books carries a wealth of local authors (which of
>>> course includes queer, Indigenous, and other minority authors in the
>>> community, and events supporting them), loads of children's books, and
>>> classics. So! There are some wonderful other local coffee shops --
>>> Mundial's drip coffee is equally good and their lattes and specialty drinks
>>> are much, much better (!!); Molinos and Lift Roasters are also awesome.
>>> Take your business elsewhere and don't support a place that doesn't
>>> actively support the diversity, and health, of everyone in their community.
>>> We should expect our local businesses to be supportive of us all, and of
>>> other businesses. Riverside is better than this.
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 11:25 AM Roda Avelar <ravel007 at ucr.edu> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thank you for bringing this to our attention! I've sent a letter to the
>>>> email listed above, it only took a few minutes!
>>>>
>>>> Roda
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 6:01 AM Tom Lutz <tomlutz at ucr.edu> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> We would like to enlist the department in helping Riverside's ONLY
>>>>> independent bookstore, Cellar Door Books.  Last night, the owner of Cellar
>>>>> Door, Linda, received an eviction notice that gives her 40 days to leave
>>>>> her current location. The store is profitable and well-run. But Linda has
>>>>> one strike against her: she is vocally and very publicly progressive.
>>>>>
>>>>> For years now, Cellar Door has held Drag Queen Story Hour. When
>>>>> Jammin' Bread closed, a new owner moved in and opened a cafe called Arcade.
>>>>> This place is owned by a very conservative member of a megachurch whose
>>>>> congregation can be seen protesting, yelling, and frowning mightily against
>>>>> Cellar Door's Drag Queen Story Hour, as well as Linda's ongoing masking
>>>>> policy and frequent displays of novels by minoritized groups, Black and
>>>>> Latinx and Queer and Asian and Indigenous and others. Linda has prominent
>>>>> signs in the windows supporting BLM and other progressive causes.
>>>>>
>>>>> Cellar Door has always stocked UCR writers, and our department has
>>>>> held readings there. It is a thriving place where book clubs meet and local
>>>>> children first learn to browse the shelves. We would like as many people as
>>>>> possible to write to the owner of Canyon Crest. Those protesting Cellar
>>>>> Door have written many letters, and I'd like her landlord, the owner of
>>>>> Canyon Crest Towne Center to know there are just as many, and probably
>>>>> more, voices who support Cellar Door.
>>>>>
>>>>> Canyon Crest Management,Inc.
>>>>> Maggie Sarinana
>>>>> maggie at canyoncrestmgmt.com
>>>>> Office: 951-686-1222 Ext 10
>>>>>
>>>>> There is also a contact form here:
>>>>> https://shopcanyoncrest.com/contact-us
>>>>> <https://shopcanyoncrest.com/contact-us>
>>>>>
>>>>> And of course we encourage going to the store and supporting it, too.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks, Tom Lutz and Goldberry Long
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> CWgrad-announcements mailing list
>>>>> CWgrad-announcements at lists.ucr.edu
>>>>> https://lists.ucr.edu/mailman/listinfo/cwgrad-announcements
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> *Roda Avelar*
>>>> MFA Candidate in Poetry, 2023
>>>> UC Riverside
>>>> (she / they)
>>>> www.rodolfoavelar.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Mfa_alumni mailing list
>>>> Mfa_alumni at lists.ucr.edu
>>>> https://lists.ucr.edu/mailman/listinfo/mfa_alumni
>>>>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Goldberry Long, MA, MFA
>> Associate Professor of Teaching, Department of Creative Writing
>> Distinguished Teaching Professor
>> she/her what's this?
>> <https://www.cultureamp.com/blog/gender-pronouns-in-workplace>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Mfa_alumni mailing list
>> Mfa_alumni at lists.ucr.edu
>> https://lists.ucr.edu/mailman/listinfo/mfa_alumni
>>
>
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