Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carol Santiago. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Carol, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
The Story Behind the Mission
The Multicultural Bookstore Las Vegas was born out of a vision to create a true literacy hub in the Historic Westside community—a safe and welcoming space where both children and adults can grow, learn, and thrive through the power of reading.
Our mission continues the legacy of Sam Smith, the trailblazer who owned the first Black-owned bookstore in Las Vegas, The Native Son. His belief in the importance of literature and culture laid the foundation for what we carry forward today.
We believe that reading is the foundation of success because it levels the playing field. When communities have access to books, knowledge, and resources, opportunities open, confidence grows, and futures are reshaped.
At the Multicultural Bookstore Las Vegas, our goal is to provide more than just books—we provide a space for conversations, author Meet & Greets, writing workshops, and tutoring services. Through our partnership with Edu Global Inc. and its Reading Literacy Solutions Modules, we ensure that families in our community have access to high-quality reading support tailored to their needs.
Creating this space for learning, services, and resources is paramount. It is about cultivating a culture of literacy that uplifts individuals and strengthens families.
One example of how we extend our mission beyond the bookstore walls is our Collective Community Book Fair at the Pearson Community Center. At this event, neighbors come together to meet local authors, experience the artistry of the Poetic Gems spoken word group, and connect with community organizations offering vital family resources. Our 2nd Annual Book Fair will take place on October 4, 2025, and we look forward to once again celebrating the joy of reading and community engagement.
The Multicultural Bookstore Las Vegas is more than a bookstore—it is a movement for literacy, culture, and community empowerment.
Carol, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. My name is Carol Santiago, and was an educator for 32 years with the Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District, where I taught 16 years at the elementary level and 16 years teaching 7th grade social studies. Education has always been my passion, and when I retired and relocated to Las Vegas in 2003, I knew my work in literacy and community engagement wasn’t finished.
From 2005 to 2019, I served as the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program Director/Manager with the Las Vegas Urban League, where I developed and managed afterschool programming. Even today, I continue to personally tutor and support students who are struggling with reading—because I firmly believe literacy is the foundation for success and a lifelong skill that “levels the field” for all learners.
Opening the Multicultural Bookstore Las Vegas in November 2023 was a natural extension of my life’s work. The store follows the “all books face forward” model created by children’s book author and longtime friend, Tamara Shiloh, who founded the Multicultural Bookstore & Gifts in Richmond, CA, eight years ago. Together, Tamara and I co-own the Las Vegas store, and as we celebrate our second anniversary this coming November 2025, we are proud to continue the brand of being a true community hub for readers and learners.
What sets us apart is not only our carefully curated collection of diverse and inclusive literature but also the community-centered services we provide. From author meet-and-greets and writing workshops to literacy tutoring and school/organizational curation services, we aim to make books accessible, relevant, and inspiring for all ages. This past year, for example, we were honored to curate book collections for Rainbow Dreams Academy and to be invited by WNBA legend Swin Cash’s “She’s Got Time” 3rd Annual Summit to curate titles by celebrated women in sports—a presentation that was so well-received we’ve already been invited back for 2026.
We are also incredibly proud of the support from our Historic Westside community. The Samuel L. Smith Educational Foundation’s Cornerstone Membership program has brought local organizations and partners alongside us in building something sustainable. And with the tireless efforts of our store manager, Charles Holbert, a comic book artist and community ambassador, our outreach and social media following continues to grow.
At the heart of our work, we want readers, schools, and organizations to know that the Multicultural Bookstore Las Vegas is more than a bookstore—it’s a literacy hub, a safe space for conversations, and a resource center for families and institutions alike. Whether it’s through curation services, personalized literacy support, or simply providing a welcoming space where all stories are valued, we are committed to uplifting our community one reader at a time.
What I am most proud of is seeing the joy on our customers’ faces (both children and adults) when they see themselves reflected in a book and knowing that our work is making literacy not just a skill, but a celebration of culture, identity, and possibility.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
Tamara Shiloh, my business partner, and I first met in 2005 at a business opportunity meeting here in Las Vegas. At that time, Tamara was publishing a magazine called Desert Diamonds, which highlighted successful women in business. From the moment we met, we clicked—we became fast friends and always said, “One day, we’re going to do something together!”
As our friendship deepened, it became clear that our shared passion for literacy and learning would eventually bring us together in a bigger way. Tamara is an accomplished children’s book author, with a powerful series that introduces young readers to the often-overlooked achievements of African American scientists, inventors, doctors, and civil rights leaders. Early on, she asked me to create lesson plans for the very first book in her series. Those lesson plans were actually implemented at Stege Elementary School in Richmond, California—and that was the moment when we both realized how naturally our skills and visions aligned.
From there, our partnership began to take shape. What started as a friendship turned into a shared mission: to create spaces and resources that honor diverse voices, celebrate learning, and empower communities through books. In 2022, we formalized our partnership, which ultimately led to the opening of the Multicultural Bookstore Las Vegas in November 2023.
Looking back, it feels like everything we’ve done along the way—the friendship, the shared projects, and our common love for literacy—was preparing us for this moment. Our bookstore is not just a business; it’s the natural outcome of two women with aligned visions coming together to serve the community.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My journey of resilience started as early as age four when I entered kindergarten. At that time, being left-handed was seen as “wrong,” and my teachers tried to force me to switch to my right hand. I still remember the sting of having my hand rapped when I resisted. Those painful memories left a mark, but they also planted the first seeds of resilience in me—I learned early on to hold firm to who I was, even when others tried to change me.
When my family moved from Dallas to Los Angeles, I entered third grade but I was advanced a year because of my prior learning. That acceleration meant I was always two years younger than my peers. By the time I was set to graduate from sixth grade, the junior high refused to accept me due to my age. I was required to repeat sixth grade at another school across town, which meant long bus rides and the challenge of starting over in a new environment.
Even with those setbacks, I pressed forward. I graduated from high school and entered UCLA at just 16 years old, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Life Teaching Credential. Later, I went on to complete a master’s degree at Grand Canyon University. Each milestone was shaped by perseverance—choosing to move forward despite disappointments or delays.
What kept me going was the example of my parents. They worked tirelessly to provide for our family, and I wanted to make them proud. Their sacrifices reminded me that hard work, discipline, and faith would carry me through. Looking back, I see that resilience isn’t about avoiding challenges—it’s about enduring them, learning from them, and continuing to walk the path set before you.
Image Credits
Jonathan Carrera