READING
n o i t u l o v e R
SOCIAL JUSTICE IS MORE THAN A BUZZWORD AT ROHI’S READERY
By Abigail Duffy | Photography by Van Richardson
I
f a space could welcome you with open arms, Rohi’s Readery would do just that. At this children’s bookstore in West Palm Beach’s Rosemary Square, a “Revolutionary Readers” sign blazes in orange neon over shelves lined with books like Ho’onani Hula Warrior, I Am Enough, Curls, Sakamoto’s Swim Club, Chocolate Me!, and Rainbow: A First Book of Pride. Children
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gaze up at the titles, pull tomes to their chests, and plunk down on stuffed animal–laden nooks or a kid-sized stage. For those who need help sounding out the words, Pranati “Pranoo” Kumar Skomra is there in her signature pinclad bucket hat. She punctuates the stories with hand gestures as she reads, a tendency inherited from her Konkani ancestors. She’s spent the last decade honing her voices,
perfecting her dances, and cementing her passion for educating—and captivating— young readers. Their eyes never leave her. A teacher, “edupreneur,” and advocate for diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility in children’s education, Kumar Skomra has built a space for children that’s a celebration of humanity in its purest form. Hailing from Hyderabad, India, Kumar
PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED
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8/6/21 11:45 AM
