A hole in the wall across from the local Monrovia Library is where the center of the San Gabriel Valley’s queer community resides.
Kealie Mardell-Carrera illustrates the story of the overlooked spot. Carrera is one of the co-owners of the establishment, who came into charge after Thomas and Nathon-as she refers to them- announced that the store would close due to lack of funding. This prompted Carrera to step in, noting the importance of the store as one of the sole safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ in the area. She turned the establishment into a non-profit with a board of directors including herself.
So on a crisp night we ventured into the welcoming warmth of the store to find solace. We sat at a table littered with a plethora of crafts and interactive opportunities for the community to engage with. This set the atmosphere for Carrera to let us in on what the store does for the community and what it needs in return to continue serving and supporting this underrepresented group in the San Gabriel Valley.
To expand on the origin of the store, Carrera said she felt it’s really important to keep the bookstore open. “They had started to create something really incredible that we don’t have,” she shared. “It would have just left such a gap in our community to lose this space. So I knew I had to do whatever I could to try and keep it going.” This store is a safe and welcoming space where everyone can feel included and represented, so she wants to protect and maintain it.
Unlike traditional bookstores that focus on selling books and prioritize bestseller lists, Underdog focuses more on underrepresented voices. “We are committed to uplifting marginalized voices,” the owner explained. “We don’t have the top 10 romance or thriller books. It’s all about the voices and stories that help people find books that speak to their identity and who they are.” The store’s shelves are carefully curated to highlight stories that reflect a wide range of identities and experiences.
Underdog is actively expanding their programs and resources for the community. Plans include hosting Monrovia’s first Pride event and a “Read With Pride” book festival featuring queer authors, performers and vendors.
The bookstore serves as a hub for mentorship and creativity. Workshops, author visits, and community events give young people the opportunity to learn from established writers and connect with others who share their passions. Underdog is also working on developing a writing competition for teens and young people, with the winners published in an anthology.
“Supporting young writers and celebrating queer creativity is a big part of our dream,” the owner said. For Carrera, Underdog Bookstore is a community, a centered space with a deeper purpose. By “supporting young writers,” the store provides opportunities, resources, and encouragement for teens and young adults to develop their writing skills and express themselves. Along with, “celebrating queer creativity,” highlights the bookstore’s commitment to uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, ensuring that stories from queer authors are recognized, valued, and shared.
Running a small, independent bookstore hasn’t always been easy for Underdog, it comes with many challenges. The store has faced harassment from people who don’t agree with its mission.
“We have people, you know, yelling at us and cussing us off the street. We get hateful messages and things online sometimes, and then recently with the rocks that were left.” Instead of responding with anger, the bookstore chose to turn those negative moments into something positive. When hateful notes were left on rocks outside the store, the team invited the community to paint affirming messages on rocks instead, which are now displayed on their window.
“Our latest approach is to show that the voices of support are louder than the voices of hate. There are hundreds of people in this community that do support the LGBTQ+ community and don’t agree with these messages.” Carrera shared. With the support of her team, Underdog remains cozy and inclusive for the Monrovia community.
You as the reader may be curious as to how you can support the bookstore. The most effective way? Share this place with those close to you, as Carrera describes in her own words, “People helping just to spread the word, whether it’s online or word of mouth, to people that you know, just letting them know that we’re here, and what we’re about, and what we do is really helpful.” Support can come in all types of ways Carrera later explained.
For example, while most of their revenue comes from in-person book sales, they also have an online shop where you can find the books that matter to you and are often overlooked from the comfort of your home.
Another way to support is using the space, as Carrera remarked, “I have people that come in and they’ll bring a laptop and they’ll be remote working or doing homework or studying or writing their next book or kids come in and do coloring and craft activities…We try and encourage that as much as possible.”
This statement rings true, as one of the authors of this article, Arizona Alexakis, shared that after the Eaton fires in January she would come to the shop for the free Wifi for studying, the great books, and the unyielding support from the small community frequenting the establishment.
So if you’re ever looking for a place to work away from the stress of home and school, you’ll find a comforting and encouraging environment at Underdog. And before you leave, you may want to consider purchasing jewelry, a bookmark, or some other trinket, crafted by local artisans. The artists partner with the store in a symbiotic relationship, splitting the revenue to uplift one another to survive as a small business.
An additional way you can help–if you’re financially able to do so–is through sponsorship or donation. As Carrera stated, “we’ll be looking for any kind of grants and other funding that comes from the community and other organizations that want to see us continue what we’re doing.”
If you are able to help fund the bookstore in any way, there is no doubt that the effort will be greatly appreciated. You may find yourself with something in return, as the establishment prioritizes giving back, even when it’s detrimental to do so.
Any contribution is important for the collective because the Underdog Bookstore is not just a bookstore—it’s the heart of a community that refuses to be silenced. Through love, art, and resilience, it continues to prove that safe spaces matter, especially in times when acceptance still feels fragile.
Every corner of the store tells a story—from the shelves filled with books by queer and underrepresented authors to the windows decorated with colorful, affirming rocks that replaced hateful messages once left outside. These symbols reflect the bookstore’s core message: love will always speak louder than hate. It’s a space where readers find more than books—they find understanding, encouragement, and the belief that their stories matter.
When it’s easy to scroll past causes or ignore small voices, places like Underdog remind us of the power of showing up. Whether it’s through a book purchase, a kind word, a donation, or simply spreading the word, every bit of support helps keep this story alive. Underdog Bookstore stands as a reminder that change doesn’t always start with loud headlines—it often begins quietly, in a small shop across from a library, where people gather to share stories, hope, and the courage to keep turning the page.
