WILMINGTON — “We all got together one day and she’s like, ‘Are we doing this thing?’ And we were like, ‘We’re doing this thing!’”
With that, Khalisa Rae Williams said, Athenian Press & Workshops started the launch process.
The idea to have a hub for women interested in literature began with Lori Wilson, who is now the executive director. She then joined forces with Williams, who serves as the creative director, and Daisuke Shen, who became the program coordinator.
After several months of raising money through charity drives, including Femme Speak Outs, Femme Rock Benefits and Wine Down Wednesdays, the team was able to secure a permanent location in a historical house on the outskirts of downtown Wilmington.
Athenian plans to deliver a wide scope of programs while functioning under the umbrella term of bookstore lounge. What will set this bookstore apart is that the target crowd is women and femmes.
Those unfamiliar with the core values of Athenian may be wondering — why is it only for women?
Part of the answer lies in the fact that this establishment is for women, along with people who are queer and identifying as feminine.
The bookstore haven caters to such a specific audience because, as Williams puts it, “Anybody worried about running into their perpetrator, or seeing that guy that groped them at the club the other night, or feels insecure about their sexuality, they know that if they can’t go anywhere else, they can definitely go to Athenian and feel at home, feel safe, and have a really good time.”
Aside from utilizing the space as a bookstore and coffeeshop, the three friends are in talks to make big moves regarding renovations and events. Though not finalized yet, they hope to get a stage and a full-service bar to accompany their plans to host all sorts of activities.
“We have a whole calendar of events that look like poetry slams, book talks, movie discussions, talks about cultural competency, conscious raising, and conversations around common issues that women and thems face,” Williams explained.
The layout of the venue, which includes a spacious studio on the second floor and an apartment attached to the first floor, lends way for various renters. The apartment will be converted into an artist consortium residency for people who are traveling and still need a place to create their art.
Williams said since they do not currently need the second floor, it can be rented out for various artistic purposes and even act as a yoga, dance or paint studio.
Right now, the nonprofit is partnered with five local organizations: Rape Crisis Center, Domestic Violence Shelter, Carousel Center for child abuse, UNCW’s CARE, and the county jail.
Athenian will offer a series of “Writing is Healing” private workshops to these partners. As their community outreach initiative, the team is continuing to welcome other organizations that need a retreat area to promote self-expression and healing through art.
Williams predicts the press facet of the business will not start until late 2019, but they’ve already decided that Lulu Press will be their mode of printing and publishing.
“We want to publish one book per year by woman or femme,” Williams said. “And we want to publish a literary zine. The zine will be every few months.”
For now, the Athenian coordinators are focused on preparing for the grand opening on March 25. The big event, called Femme Fair, will be family friendly and feature carnival games with a feminist twist.
For information on the grand opening or how to get involved, visit athenianpw.org.
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