Girls Write Now Community Members Support Yu & Me Books In the Wake of Tragedy
July 7, 2023
On July 4th, 2023, the apartment above the beloved Chinatown indie bookstore, Yu & Me Books, caught fire. According to the store’s owner, Lucy Yu, the significant water and smoke damage to the building has forced Yu & Me to cease operations and suspend all events for the forseeable future. Having just opened in 2021, Yu & Me solidified its place in the hearts of NYC book lovers with a cozy cafe and a mission to highlight immigrant stories. Yu named the store as a nod to her mother, whose initials are YM, and said that her dream was “to create a space where we can dream together, share our passion, strive for change, and push systems closer to justice.”
In order to pay their staff and get back on their feet, Yu & Me Books started a GoFundMe. In just 24 hours, the store exceeded their initial fundraising goal. The outpouring of support was immense, with large donations coming from celebrities such as Simu Liu. However, the vast majority of donations came in smaller amounts, showing the power of the community to rally behind a vital literary space. The store also received support from Girls Write Now community members and supporters including bestselling writers Roxane Gay, Emma Straub, and Qian Julie Wang.
As of now, the GoFundMe is still accepting donations. The team at Yu & Me also encourages peop