There are only a few safe spaces for women—both physical and online. These places try to combat harassment, gatekeeping, other forms of judgement and many more, but they can only do so much. And independent literary collective Gantala Press knows what’s up.
Read more: For women to be heard, it’s time to get out of our echo-chambers
“As women, we often struggle with finding and claiming a space of our own, where we can feel safe and secure, freely create and make choices, be ourselves and see ourselves in others,” Gantala Press shared on their latest Instagram post. This pushed them to creating a Filipina feminist bookstore which might be “the first in its millennium.”
They’re setting this up at the small space they found in Cubao, Quezon City. It’s still in the process of building and funding, though, and we can chip in our contribution until it’s completed.
Wondering where your help leads to? Here’s what we can find in this inspiring hub: Resource materials for/on women in the Philippines (like small pubs collected from Gandang-ganda sa sariling Gawa! fair and expo); an accessible avenue for starting women artists to showcase their work to the public; a core for forums, exhibits, and workshops focused on the narratives of the “oppressed, marginalized, and discriminated women.” This includes widows and victims of the extrajudicial killings, women on strike and more. Sounds like a deeply worthwhile cause.
Established in 2015, Gantala Press is a non-profit, volunteer-driven hub for women. Aside from publishing books and zines, they also hold different women-focused community activities like fundraising campaigns for “peasants, workers, and their children.” Want to see the little bookstore come to life? Head to their GoGetFunding page here.
Art by Aira Ydette