On October 24, Sister’s Uptown Bookstore & Cultural Center brings the community together at The Riverside Church for its inaugural Voices of Harlem Gala, celebrating the people who keep Black literature, history, and culture alive.
Some institutions sell books. Others help shape the way an entire community sees itself.
Since opening its doors in 2000, Sister’s Uptown Bookstore & Cultural Center has been doing a little of both. The independent Black-owned bookstore has become a gathering place for readers, writers, educators, artists, and neighbors who understand that the right book can open a world, change a perspective, or introduce a child to a reflection of themselves they may not find elsewhere.
Now, the beloved uptown institution is preparing for a very special evening.
On Saturday, October 24, Sister’s Uptown will host its inaugural Voices of Harlem Gala: Celebrating Literature, Culture, and Community, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Riverside Church. The fundraising celebration will honor leaders whose work reflects the power of literature, education, entrepreneurship, and community service, while helping sustain the bookstore’s mission for future generations.
And if there’s one thing worth celebrating in New York, it’s the people who make sure our stories continue to be told.
Four Honorees. One Extraordinary Cultural Legacy.
The evening will recognize four honorees whose contributions extend far beyond their individual professions.
Herb Boyd, the acclaimed author, journalist, educator, community activist, and longtime Amsterdam News columnist, has spent decades documenting Black history, culture, and political life. His work reminds us that telling our stories is not simply an act of remembrance. It’s a way of ensuring that the next generation understands how we arrived here.
Dawn Harris-Martine, Harlem educator and owner of Grandma’s Place, Toys & Children’s Books, represents the importance of creating spaces where children can learn, imagine, and encounter books and experiences that affirm their curiosity and identity.
Then there are Wade and Cheryl Hudson, founders of Just Us Books, whose publishing work has helped bring African American stories, history, and experiences to young readers. Their commitment to children’s literature speaks to something fundamental: representation on a bookshelf can be a powerful introduction to possibility.
Rounding out the honorees is Yvonne Stennett, executive director of the Community League of the Heights (CLOTH), whose longstanding community leadership has helped advance neighborhood opportunity and strengthen the communities of Upper Manhattan.
Together, these honorees represent the many ways culture gets preserved and passed along. Through books, classrooms, publishing houses, community organizations, and the everyday work of making knowledge accessible, they help ensure that Harlem’s intellectual and cultural legacy remains alive.
An Evening With a Purpose
The gala will feature fine dining, live entertainment, and an opportunity for supporters to invest in an institution that has served the community for more than a quarter century.
The choice of venue is fitting. The Riverside Church, with its longstanding place in New York’s religious, cultural, and social history, provides a meaningful setting for an evening centered on ideas, community, and the power of collective effort.
The evening’s masters of ceremonies will include Cesi Davidson, dramatist and playwright; William “Bill” Rhoden, award-winning sports columnist and broadcaster; and Joe Rogers, executive director of Total Equity Now.
But beneath the formal program and the celebrations is a very practical mission: keeping Sister’s Uptown strong.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will support the bookstore’s literacy initiatives, cultural preservation work, and community programming. These efforts matter because independent bookstores are more than retail spaces. They provide opportunities for local authors, give readers access to ideas beyond the mainstream, and create places where conversations can unfold across generations.
Sister’s Uptown has also developed into a cultural center, hosting readings, workshops, book clubs, poetry gatherings, and other community events. It’s the kind of place where a bookstore can become a meeting ground, a classroom, and a neighborhood resource all at once.
And in an era when so much of our reading happens on a screen, there’s something especially valuable about having a physical place where people can browse, ask questions, meet an author, and stumble upon a book they never knew they needed.
Why This Celebration Matters Now
Independent bookstores face real challenges, from rising operating costs to the competition of online retail. Black-owned bookstores also carry a cultural responsibility that goes beyond selling the latest bestseller. They help preserve literature and history that deserve a permanent place in our collective memory.
Sister’s Uptown’s story is particularly meaningful because its founder, Janifer P. Wilson, opened the bookstore with a commitment to helping children of color see themselves reflected in books. That mission grew into a cultural resource serving readers, families, writers, and artists across Upper Manhattan.
The inaugural gala offers the community an opportunity to celebrate that legacy while helping secure its future.
There is something beautifully full-circle about honoring the people who preserve stories in a space devoted to preserving stories. The writers, educators, publishers, and community leaders being recognized have each contributed to a larger cultural conversation, and their work reminds us that literature is not a luxury reserved for quiet afternoons. It is part of how communities understand themselves, imagine their futures, and pass their wisdom forward.
So, yes, put on something fabulous for the gala. Enjoy the dinner, the entertainment, and the company. But remember what the evening ultimately supports: the continued existence of a place where the next generation can discover a book that changes everything.
Because sometimes the most important thing a community can do is make sure the stories never stop.
Event Details
Voices of Harlem: Celebrating Literature, Culture, and Community
- When: Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Where: The Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10027
- Presented by: Sister’s Uptown Bookstore & Cultural Center
- Purpose: Supporting literacy initiatives, cultural preservation, and community programming.
For gala details, ticket information, and ways to support the bookstore, visit Sister’s Uptown Bookstore & Cultural Center.
Question of the Day
What book, author, or bookstore has made a lasting impression on your life? And why do you think it matters for our communities to have independent bookstores that celebrate Black literature and culture?
Stay in the Mood
Keep discovering the people and places shaping Harlem’s cultural life with Mood Magazine NYC. From independent bookstores and neighborhood institutions to the artists and storytellers moving our city forward, we’re celebrating the culture that makes Harlem extraordinary.
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Event information: Sister’s Uptown Bookstore & Cultural Center and Harlem One Stop’s gala listing.
