Hispanic Heritage Month 2026: Jesi Gutierrez, co-owner of Libélula Books & Co.

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Welcome in San Diego, it's Jade Hindman. On this episode of KPBS Midday Edition, the co-owner of Libelula Books, Jesse Gutierrez, joins us in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month to talk about the bookstore and the community they've built with it. This is KPBS Midday Edition, connecting our communities through conversation. In the heart of Barrio Logan, a triangle building sits at the intersection of 26 National Ave and Sicard Street. Inside, you'll find floor-to-ceiling shelves overflowing with books and a bustling community of book-loving customers. Liba Lula Books is celebrating five years as a staple of San Diego's independent bookstore scene. Co-owners Jesse Gutierrez and Cecil Hernandez have established the shop as a true community space. And the bookstore welcomes customers of all identities through workshops, art shows, dance parties, and much more. We're sitting down with co-owner Jesse Gutierrez as part of our Hispanic Heritage Month series, highlighting community voices. Jesse, I'm excited to have you here with us. Welcome to Midday Edition.

Thanks, Jade. Thanks so much. It's great to be back.

And I got to restate the co-owner's name. It's Selly. So sorry about that.

Just short for Ana Selly. All good. We hear it all.

There we go. Hey, well, you know, happy Hispanic Heritage Month. And thanks again for being here. Question for you. Looking back on your early childhood, how did you develop your love for books and reading? Yeah.

Books played a huge role in my childhood. I come from a family of readers. My mother is an untrained and unprofessionally educated writer and reader. She was always talking about stories. She's a storyteller at heart. And she... really instilled that in my sisters and I to value our stories and make sure that we share them with others and to have fun with them. She always had us at the library, which we absolutely adored. Not only was it a space for resources, but we could kind of get lost in the shelves. And I just have the best memories of that.

And your love for literature led you to become a teacher in Southeast San Diego. Is that right?

Yes, some of my best years were spent in the classroom. My students were part of just this incredible period in my life where I spent about nine and a half years in the classroom, different educational spaces all throughout San Diego, but specifically in Southeast San Diego Title I schools. I taught art integration with literacy and just had an absolute blast.

And tell me, I mean, why is this intersection of art and literature so meaningful to you? Yeah,

well, I think, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month, we're talking about our cultures and our community and our histories. That's a big part of the Latin community. Storytelling is in our blood, right? It's something that has helped our culture and community stay alive for so long. So not only is that a reason why it's so important to me, but we're