Who We Are
Our Mission
Our mission is to increase visibility and access to books in NYC and create and advance a culture of reading, connection, and self-empowerment by providing books through partnerships with bodegas for the individuals, families, students, and children of NYC.
Our People
Books x Bodegas was founded by two teachers, a social worker, and the owner of a bodega, all lifelong learners who were inspired by our vibrancy of the communities that we serve.
Suzanne Likeness - Founder/Director
Looking to generate interest in reading beyond the classroom for her students and children and families in her South Bronx school community, Suzanne conceived of putting books in the bodega closest to her school. With support of teacher colleague Zoeya Garcia and local bodega owner Ahmed (Primo) Sidi, Books x Bodegas was born.
Inspired by community response, BxB has expanded to its 12 current locations throughout The Bronx. She served as academic director for an international English language school where she also taught English to foreign nationals for 14 years. She is teaching reading interventions and English to new Americans at a high school in The Bronx.
Zoeya Garcia - Co-Founder/Volunteer Program Director
Zoeya is the Volunteer Program Director at Books x Bodegas. As a Bronx native and lifelong library lover, she deeply believes in BxB’s mission of making reading more accessible by meeting people in the Bronx where they are.
For the past two years, Zoeya has been a high school ELA teacher in the Bronx and is thrilled to share her love of literature with the community beyond the classroom.