even different countries. >> and to make it with a focus on latino literature, that was also very intentional. so many of the residents of this community are of mexican and caribbean descent. why not have it in my own neighborhood? >> a passionate supporter of the arts and culture of east harlem aurora won many awartds for her cultural leadership. when she decided it was time to share her passion with the east harlem community she realized there were many hurdles to overcome before la casa azul could become a reality. >> many different banks declined my loan for four years in a row. that was very discouraging. it was something that i had been dreaming of for over six years before the store actually opened. at the same time i was receiving support from neighbors and residents, and people even coworkers. the bookstore was crowd funded. it was with the support of over 400 people. 7% of those were complete strangers. whatever it is that you need, we are here to support your vision and your dream. because your dream has now become our dream, as well.