If you ask any worker, volunteer, or customer who has spent time at Libro Mobile—a bookstore that also functions as a cultural center in Santa Ana—they will tell you that this small but powerful space is a refuge: a place of free expression and safety for the Latino community.

What began as a mobile bookstore has become, in the last ten years, a physical space that offers a lot more than books: it also organizes cultural events for adults and young people people.

Its founder, Sarah Rafael Garcia, along with her volunteers, is fighting to keep the doors open and services available throughout 2026. This comes after it was announced at the end of last year that, without raising the necessary funds, the project could be forced to close in as little as six months.

“Like many small businesses, we relied heavily on local grants that allowed us to stay afloat, but those funds dried up during this administration,” Garcia stated. “We had to make the difficult decision to let go of our young employees, who will continue to collaborate with us in other ways, although without a fixed weekly salary.” The store, located next to Bristol Food Court and Bristol Swapmeet, remains the only independent bookstore in Santa Ana. For now, it stays open thanks to the work of six volunteers, including Gabriela Toro, who helps out in the workshop room, and Ashley Castelan, a 19-year-old who started working there at 17, thanks to Santa Ana's youth employment program. Over the years, both have witnessed the impact this small bookstore has had on the community. Castelan, who started as a book advisor and later became the bookstore's assistant manager, says that spaces like this are vital for young people like her. “I think it's very important that spaces like this stay open, especially now that Santa Ana is in the midst of gentrification,” Castelan said. "You need a place where you feel welcome, whether you buy something or not. Beyond that, The youth program also gives us the experience of our first job."

Castelan says that, growing up, she noticed there was little Latino representation in the books she read in school and the shows she watched on television.She says that when she discovered Libro Mobile, the experience was “like Disney for people who love to read.” Every corner of the store is filled with books in Spanish, English, and other languages, reflecting the diverse Latino and other cultures of the people who live in the city.

For the young woman, the news that she would no longer be able to work at the bookstore with a salary was a hard blow, not so much because of the lack of pay, but because the space allowed her to connect with her community in ways she hadn't experienced before.

“It's an honor to be part of this bookstore; it's my second home. One of my favorite things is interacting with people. me.” For Gabriela Toro, who runs the bookstore's workshop and curates the music selection, what she loves about the place is that it has always been a voice for the community. “We prioritize people of color, marginalized people, and queer people… This is a place where they can speak freely, where they can feel supported, where they can learn,” Toro said while sitting in the workshop room. “The books we have show them that they are not alone in their story and their struggle, and that they can read stories that will give them strength.” In these times, when communities like Santa Ana's are being affected by raids Throughout his career in immigration, Garcia has stood alongside the community. On her social media, she has denounced how immigration agents have targeted her community. Beyond that, she has donated to impacted families, and her business has served as a space for groups like OC Mutual Aid, CSO OC, Santa Ana Active Streets, and others, which help the immigrant community learn about their rights and offer other resources. Garcia is no stranger to what is happening with the immigrant and Latino community. She emphasized that, growing up in the early 1980s, she witnessed her father being racially discriminated against when he was arrested and taken home to show proof of residency. “What is happening today has happened before, and something that has always stayed with me is how strong my father was; he never let the anger of those injustices consume him,” Garcia said. “This is my way of honoring his resilience:Instead of being consumed by anger and pain, I do something productive to help my community.”

Her bookstore has been able to host events with local authors and artists and book festivals; she has a monthly open mic night where the community can come to recite poetry.She also has a refrigerator and a community space where people can come to grab free food and essential items.

“I grew up in Santa Ana, so it's personal for me. “We started for several reasons, but after the closure of the only Latino bookstore in Orange County, Libreria Martinez, we knew we wanted to continue what they started,” Garcia said. “The idea is to have books and resources for our community, so that the pages they read make them reflect on their existence, in their own language.” Garcia says that throughout 2025 sales have declined for several reasons: not only are people not going out as much as before, but many don't have enough money for extra items. She is currently fundraising and her goal is to get as close to $500,000 as possible. The donations will go toward renting the Libro Mobile bookstore by 2026. “This also comes from my parents, because thanks to them I learned to make others feel welcome,” Garcia said. “Through this bookstore, I hope to continue doing what they taught me, so that people feel seen, safe, and heard.” More than that, that they can access literature and the arts without having to pay. "Through this bookstore, I hope to continue doing what they taught me, so that people feel seen, safe, and heard. More than that, that they can access literature and the arts without having to pay." them I learned to make others feel welcome,” Garcia said. "Through this bookstore, I hope to continue doing what they taught me, so that people feel seen, safe, and heard. More than that, that they can access literature and the arts without having to pay."

Libro Mobile To make donations, visit: http://www.libromobile.com/donate 150 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana, CA 92704

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