Queer + Trans Book Drive!

Queer + Trans Book Drive!

May 8th, 2023

Our co-op is teaming up with Tranzmission Prison Project to collect books for incarcerated queer and trans readers!

In the so-called United States, we are witnessing a historic escalation in the criminalization of queer, trans, and gender-non-conforming people—but LGBTQ+ communities have always been subject to oppressive laws, gender policing, and criminal punishment. As we work towards abolition, prison book programs like TPP can challenge mass incarceration through solidarity and direct aid to captured queers.

From May 15th to May 21st, you can participate by...

  • dropping off good condition paperback books that meet the criteria below anytime Firestorm is open
  • making a cash donation to cover the purchase of hard-to-source titles
  • spreading the word on social media and other networks!

Donation Criteria

Firestorm collects books for prisoners every week, but for this drive we're hoping to generate high value donations that match TPP's most frequent requests. This includes:

  • LGBTQ+ fiction
  • LGBTQ+ histories and biographies
  • Queer theory
  • Activist nonfiction
  • Gender and transition guidebooks
  • English and Spanish dictionaries
  • Books about spirituality, astrology, or the occult
  • Activity books (e.g. sudoku, crosswords, etc)

A list of specific, highly desired titles can be found here. If you don't have access to books like these, no sweat! Consider a financial contribution instead.

Tranzmission Prison Project (TPP) is a queer- and trans-powered prison abolition organization that provides free literature and resources for incarcerated members of the LGBTQ+ community. They are based in Asheville, North Carolina. More at tranzmissionprisonproject.org