“Living on both sides of the Illinois/Iowa border, I saw we were missing a very important outlet in the black community: a wealth of information for us, about us, and most importantly, by black authors. With that, I decided to give my community what I thought was missing, while working closely with my mentors at Third Eye Books, Accessories, & Gifts, LLC in Portland, Oregon, I formed Knowledge Lounge Books, LLC. in August of 2020.

We live in a very diverse community, and in light of the unfortunate police killings of unarmed black men and women, we believe the world has heard our cries (through protests), and are seeking the information to better understand just what being black in America is really like for our perspective.

We have local authors whom we plan to work closely with. Showcasing them and their works. We plan to grow from an online store to include a brick and mortar location. As well as becoming more involved in the community with the youth.”