Tuma's Book of the Month - Read Diverse Stories by BIPOC authors

A propulsive family drama, the story of a woman determined to recover her kidnapped daughter amid the ruins of Chávez’s social revolution—the fast-paced English-language debut of an award-winning and bestselling author that brings the Venezuelan migrant crisis to life in lyrical, seething prose, for readers of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jesmyn Ward, and Gabriela Garcia

It was too late now, y la ternura no basta—now that she’d tasted the gunpowder, and the gunpowder was bolivariano, revolutionary. And that unthinkable traitor Camilo was using it to blow up her life.

“Elisa left with Camilo.” “Camilo took her out of the country.”

These are the text messages Nina receives while living in the storage room of a university in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where she’s cleaning houses to make money to send back home.

Home is 4,500 miles away, in Maracaibo, Venezuela, where the water never runs on Mondays and there’s yet another blackout. Where a trip to the grocery store costs 220 times the minimum wage.

Home is Elisa, her thirteen-year-old daughter, who loves to run around the house and belt out Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Who should be growing, when instead her waist is shrinking. Home is Graciela, Nina's mother, who lately stays shut up in her room all day talking with her dead, most urgently her beloved husband, Raúl (who’s just as eager to talk back from the grave).

And what the hell does Camilo think he’s doing now, stealing off with their daughter to the United States of America—the one place Nina most assuredly never wants to call home?

Narrated through the voices of Nina and her family, and through the voice of her treacherous ex, Camilo, The Winds of Maracaibo is the heart-racing tale of a mother fighting to get her daughter back across the border, at any cost—a brave and furious reversal of the American Dream and an ode to the Venezuelan women who gave their blood, sweat, and tears to a nation dismantled by the egos of men.

All Very Goods:

The foundational philosophy of All Very Goods is that representation matters.

We imagine an alternate world where the celebration and appreciation of diverse histories and cultures are part of everyday life. We visualize the products that would exist there and then create them here. The hope is that in doing so, we can help make this world a little bit better.

Our designs use history, illustrations, graphic design, textile patterns and symbols from Africa, Asia and Europe to create products that are visual metaphors for a shared history and present experience. The bandanas were the original product and are intended to be a conversation with the wearer about identity, culture and personal mythology. The overwhelmingly positive response to the bandanas led to totes, pins, reusable grocery bags, greeting cards and wrapping papers. These goods use the same patterns, symbols and history in a way that creates conversations and that can be shared from one person to the next.

Oh Happy Dani:

Oh Happy Dani is an illustration-based stationery brand that creates art about living a more just and hopeful life. We make products for people who want to do good daily and leave a lasting impact on the world around them. With pieces celebrating inclusion, empathy, equity, and hope, our greatest joy is encouraging everyday advocates to keep being the change they want to see in the world. Get empowered and reminded of your values with stickers, prints, stationery, and more, all hand-drawn and created by illustrator and activist Danielle Coke Balfour.

In 2022, Oh Happy Dani had a featured collection in Target stores nationwide, and a few of our designs are still circulating in Target stores today. We've also enjoyed collaborating on products with PUMA and have completed artist collaborations with Old Navy, Coach, TOMS, and more!