This week, we’re thrilled to welcome Lupe Penn, Youth & Schools Manager at Bookmarks—an independent bookstore and community hub in Winston-Salem, NC.

Lupe gave us the inside scoop on the youth programming for the upcoming Bookmarks Book Festival and shared how she regularly coordinates author visits, book donations, and school partnerships on behalf of Bookmarks to make literature accessible and foster a love of reading in young people.

It was such a joy to not only get to know Lupe, but also to learn more about the incredible ways Bookmarks is serving our community—not just as a cornerstone indie bookstore, but as a powerhouse for connecting authors, books, and readers. Don’t miss the upcoming 2025 Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors!

Lupe’s Bio:
Lupe serves as the Youth & Schools Manager at Bookmarks, a non profit independent bookstore and community hub in Winston-Salem, NC, where she coordinates author visits, book donations, and school partnerships to spark a love of reading in young people. As a proud Mexican American and mom of four, she brings her lived experiences to everything she does. She is passionate about increasing access to books, especially for underserved communities. Outside of work, she loves drawing, sewing, writing poetry, and creating anything that brings stories to life.

Related Links:

2025 Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors (schedule of events, free and ticketed event details, etc)

Bookmarks Youth and Schools Outreach (includes Authors in Schools, Field Trips to Bookmarks, and more)

Other Bookmarks Outreach Programs

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

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