Corrections & Clarifications: Denise Dominguez was misidentified in a previous version of this article.
Since they opened in 2015, Palabras Bilingual Bookstore and Wasted Ink Zine Distro have become safe spaces for historically marginalized communities in Phoenix.
Their vision of a literary hub with a mission of representation, equity and mutual support came to life in February when their businesses reopened in a triplex at 906 W. Roosevelt St. downtown.
Palabras sells books written in Spanish and English as well as locally crafted art and merchandise many of which are made by Black, Indigenous and other people of color. Wasted Ink carries hundreds of zines that date to the 1980s and represent “historically silenced voices,” including creators who are disabled, neurodivergent, LGBTQ and people of color, according to Lucille.