EX FABULA STORIES
I am Barbara Cerda
Also known as Barby The Book Fairy, and I run a book program on Milwaukee’s south side that promotes literacy. I collect gently used books from community members and refill the little free libraries in my neighborhood. When I have been able to fundraise money, I have purchased new books written by Black and Brown authors. I am also an entrepreneur. I recently opened a bookstore called La Revo Books with my sister, Valeria Cerda. Our selection is affordable, relevant, and a reflejo of nuestra comunidad/ reflection of our community. We intentionally and carefully select new and used books for and by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), with a specialization in Latinx literature. Barby The Book Fairy and La Revo Books are important to me because I know that when we learn new things about ourselves and our culture and history - our dreams start to run wild. These two were born during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as I have reflected on my purpose in bringing these two projects to life, I remember my abuelita Fidela. I think about a specific memory that fuels the work I do. Twenty- three year old me is walking through the large wooden doors of my abuelita’s house in Mexico. The house is partially made out of adobe and is over 100 years old. The house smells like wet dirt and I can smell the food cooking on the stove. I made my way to her kitchen to find her sitting in her favorite chair knitting a blanket. I sit down at the table and we begin talking about the little town I had visited earlier with my dad. My abuelita Fidela begins to tell me a story about my abuelito visiting that same town years before. She revealed surprising details of a story I had never heard before. At one point, mi abuelita says she had to sign a document at the bank where my abuelito was depositing money. She tells me she signed her name by drawing two little sticks. She didn’t know how to read or write which is why she just signed with a pair of little lines. I don’t even think that she truly knew what she was signing off on that day but trusted my abuelito with disclosing the actual details. That conversation that I had with her, is my most favorite moment, because all of her stories had a lesson and she was an amazing storyteller. This story was basically about saving your money. I think about this story a lot because when I go back to Mexico and walk through those doors, I won’t ever have an experience like that with her anymore. My beautiful, smiling, abuelita passed away this January when COVID-19 ravaged through our family. A day after she passed, we also lost my uncle, Jorge - who never left her side and who I loved very much.
Ex Fabula is thrilled to partner with CopyWrite Magazine. This partnership will combine different forms of expression and produce a space for community members’ true, personal stories in written and visual form. By connecting the stage to the page, both Ex Fabula and CopyWrite will reach new audiences, connect with new storytellers, and build community.
