Educator Yaa Yaa Catherine Whaley-Williams has built an education hub in her community.

Whaley-Williams, the director of student equity in the Monticello Central School District in Monticello, NY, is the founder of Sadie’s Books and Beverages. The  business opened in 2022 and made history in the process. News-12  it is the first Black-owned bookstore in Orange County, NY.

Sadie’s Books and Beverages offers a diverse selection of books, which includes hundreds of Black authors across 23 genres, according to the Times Herald-Record reports. Accessibility is also important to Whaley-Williams, so she launched a program that slashes the prices of new books for children to $3 and $7.

“When I was a kid getting a free or discounted book, it was usually dog-eared or had writing in it, or some pages missing,” she explained to the  “But getting a discounted book shouldn’t mean that it’s anything less than brand new.”

from the local shop free author talks, workshops, school giveaways, and events such as Sensory Saturdays for children with autism, per its website.

“We call ourselves a ‘bookseum.’ The real premise of opening and vision for the space was not just reimaging a community center but reimaging a classroom in a space that could be a resource for the community,” Whaley-Williams told News-12.

Also present are artworks and products from various Black-owned businesses such as lapel pins, coloring books, cookbooks, and bookmarks.

“Yeah, we sell books, but it’s really about coming and engaging with your community,” she mentioned.

The space has attracted people from various walks of life, including authors, entrepreneurs, authors, and mental health specialists such as Stacy-Ann Bailey, who intends on opening a workshop soon because it’s such a welcoming environment, according to News-12.
President of the NAACP Middletown branch, Danielle Matthews, added, “It keeps us together, it keeps us educated. You can learn everything pretty much about our own culture.”