Angela Nesbitt started Loving Me Books to share children’s stories about people of color after years of working as a behavioral therapist and recognizing a lack of diversity in the books offered to kids. She set to work gathering a collection of books that celebrate racial and ethnic diversity. Loving Me Books partners with schools and afterschool programs, as well as book clubs and events, to provide books focused on minority children to people of every ethnicity.
What inspired you to start your business?
When I worked in the schools as a behavioral therapist, I would notice in the classroom libraries that there just was a lack of diversity within this collection of books. … One day in the main library, there was one kid that couldn’t keep still and she was staring off into a specific direction on the shelf of books. They call her row (to choose a book), she runs up, she grabs this book she’s been staring at and there is a black ballerina on the cover of the book. And this is a Caucasian young lady who grabs this book. And I think “Oh, that’s interesting, she wants this book.” … And then I noticed once again in the main library, and there was a lack of diversity, meaning books featuring people of color. … It was something that caught my attention and just interested me to do something about it. And that’s when Loving Me Books was born.
Do you like being your own boss?
I like the simple fact that I have a lot of ideas. My imagination just goes and goes, so working for myself just gives me that creative outlet.
What’s the best aspect of running your own business?
The freedom with ideas to be more creative and know that you don’t have to fully answer to someone.
And the worst?
Because you have so much freedom, you have to really be disciplined. You have to really put together a very structured system, because things will go wrong. That’s a given.
What’s the biggest challenge your business has faced? And how did
you deal with it?
Making sure that I am developing that structure and the consistency, (while) also managing and funding. We are always looking for more ways to fund the company because Loving Me Books was out of my pocket from my full-time job. … Once the opportunities like all these grants came about following the summer of 2020, we were able to get in on that. And that is what was able to help secure payments for our contractors.
What’s your favorite story about running your business?
When I was looking into getting into schools, I knew I wanted to get into Baldwin Hills, so I went to an open house event to introduce myself to the principal. And while I’m looking around, a lady comes up to me out of nowhere. Her daughter’s next to her and she has her hands over her hair. … Her mother said to me, “When she left the house, her hair was fine, nice.” But as the heat hit it – and this is the thing with African-American families – the heat started to draw her hair up and it gets really tight curls. It can dry out and it can get what is considered a very kinky texture. And so the daughter was ashamed of her hair. … I said I have a bookstore and we provide material that represents people of color. And we have books about hair, like “I Love My Hair” to teach self-love because the point is just to promote self-love and unify children of all races. … I also let her know that I was looking for the principal and she pointed me right in the direction of the principal and I started talking to her and she said, “we would love to have Loving Me Books at our school.” That’s when we got in and started doing what we call Interactive Read Aloud with the students.
How is being a Black American significant to your business? Does your race affect or influence the way you run your business?
I want to make sure that there are people who can have a conversation about what it means to be Black. There are books that specifically talk about and deal with those dynamics, like hair love and representation. … I’m trying to help out by showing more images of those positive Black entrepreneurs that are doing something and inspiring the children.
What advice would you give someone who wanted to start their own business?
I would say jump in, go for it. You will not have all the answers. Do not worry about getting it all right, just get it done and stay with it.
– Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert