About Me: My name is Nikkya Hargrove, the daughter of a formerly incarcerated woman.The fact that my mother was in jail or prison for much of my childhood, was a secret I held onto well into my adulthood. That is, until I found the courage to tell my story. Today, I am a freelance writer for The Washington Post, a place where I share my own stories of life and parenthood. My passion for reading and writing propelled me to pursue my dreams and shaped my view of the world.
With supportive programs and access to literacy and education, I graduated from high school and Bard College with a passion and enthusiasm to shape the youth and the communities I served. It is with this passion, to empower my own community of Stratford, Connecticut that Serendipity Books was born.
Together we can create a safe place to engage in diverse and inclusive storytelling and make Serendipity Books a place we can grow together through our love for books and community!
(Reading at an early age…)
Founded in 1639, Stratford, Connecticut is a quaint settled town in upper Fairfield County that borders the thriving urban environment of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Our communities support a diverse population of varied ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Yet we have ZERO independent bookstores in Stratford or Bridgeport. Serendipity Books will provide LITERACY for ALL through affordable books, free children’s events, and joint community programs.
(Even a children’s costume party for Halloween!)
We will provide local jobs for residents of Stratford and Bridgeport. It is our duty to give back to the place we call home and the people we live near! We seek to be an employer which supports the livelihood of our community. We are a business which will buy from our local coffee shops and offer tea/coffee daily. Our wine nights will be supplied by our local wine store. And other goodies will be served/sold thanks to our talented local artists, authors, chefs, bakers and more!
(And don’t forget, coffee will be readily available)
Our bookstore would be the first of its kind. A small independent bookstore focused on educating our community about social issues which impact us all. Our programs and services will be diverse and include, in part: Paint and Wine Friday Night Out, monthly social group (a discussion group), a volunteer experience for community members to read during story time, healthy Saturday – in which local produce is provided and a cooking demonstration is given to encourage healthy eating and so much more! It will provide discounted and free books on specific days, so everyone can be served!
Your contribution will help us with:
Want to keep in touch and see what we are up to?
Find us here:
Twitter @ Nikkya1128
Instagram: serendipstratford
Thank you for taking the first step to help make a difference for Stratford, Bridgeport, and our neighbors!