Multicultural Books shows kids a world of faces like theirs

With booksellers closing at a furious pace, opening an independent bookstore in the 21st century is an act of both defiance and courage. 

But for Tamara Shiloh, owner of Multicultural Books & Gifts, it was simply a result of her desire to help Richmond children see themselves reflected in books.

The quaint downtown store, at 260 Broadway in the North and East neighborhood behind the Bay Area Girls Club, features a well-curated collection that includes many children’s titles, adult classics, new arrivals, art books and even a section of banned books, in solidarity with librarians around the country who are fighting to preserve public access to controversial titles. There is free coffee and cake, and several tables beckon visitors to sit and read for a while, without feeling obligated to buy.

The store also serves as a community hub for open mic nights, readings and other events. Every Saturday, parents and nonprofit groups are invited for storytime, which includes a free lunch. And every first and third Saturday of the month, a local nonprofit hosts a food giveaway in the bookstore’s yard from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Shiloh opened her business seven years ago intent on helping youths discover a love of reading through titles that reflect their experience and ethnic background, whether African American, Latinx, Native American, Asian Pacific Islander, LGBTQ, Muslim or Jewish. Unlike many bookstores, most of the shop’s titles are “forward facing,” meaning visitors can see the covers immediately instead of digging through spines, which can often be overwhelming, according to Shiloh. 

“I love the diversity of Richmond with its wonderful variety of cultures, and I’ve tried to reflect that in my store,” said Shiloh, who was born and raised in Richmond but has also lived in many other cities. “When kids see themselves represented on the cover of a book, they get excited.” 

She wanted to learn about accomplished Black Americans

Shiloh had never worked at a bookstore nor been a teacher or librarian. She stumbled into the book publishing industry in the early 2000s after receiving an email about Black scientists. She had never heard of any of the names on the list, which made her curious to find out more. As she did research at the library she realized how little she knew about the contributions of Black Americans. She showed the list to her then 9-year-old grandson, who also had never heard of the names.

“I just realized that kids were not being taught this at all,” Shiloh said. “If the only thing students know about Black people is slavery or the Civil Rights movement — that they have been beaten, discriminated against and owned by someone else — that doesn’t make you feel good about yourself.”

Shiloh began compiling research on Black authors, scientists, composers, even cowboys, eventually writing two books. The result was a series titled “Just Imagine,” featuring Jaxon, a young Black protagonist whose magical necklace allows him to see and talk to notable African Americans from the past and learn about American history. The books include a journal and activity book that allows young readers to take notes as they go on a “learning adventure.” The point is to show that African American history is American history, Shiloh said. 

Shiloh’s books began to be noticed by teachers who asked her to provide information they could integrate into their curriculum. She complied and before she knew it, “Shiloh’s Black History Professional Development Course” was born. Since 2022, the class has been taken by about 50 educators. Earlier this year, Shiloh created a similar Hispanic/Latinx history class curriculum to expand her offerings. 

“I want to reach teachers because teachers can’t teach what they don’t know,” Shiloh said.

One of Shiloh’s goals is to help young people feel inspired to learn by making the curriculum relevant and interesting to them. Doing so will go a long way toward improving chronic absenteeism that plagues many Richmond schools, Shiloh said. According to data released last year, a third of West Contra Costa Unified School District students were chronically absent in 2023 — meaning they had missed 10% or more of the school year. 

In 2017, she founded Just Imagine Kidz, a nonprofit that offers free afterschool and summer classes for elementary and middle school students interested in learning about African American, Latinx history and science, technology, engineering and math topics.

Not one to rest for long, Shiloh now plans to launch a micro school called Nia Academy that will focus on Black history, culture and art and will be offered at the Bay Area Girls Club. 

For more information, visit multiculturalshop.com or contact the store at 510-322-4781.