OUR VALUES
We value Kapwa, the Filipino indigenous spirit that connects us with our human and more-than-human relatives.
We also value diversity, equity, belonging, and self-determination.
Illustrated by Lynnor Bontigao
OUR MISSION
We celebrate Kapwa and belonging by publishing children’s and adult books that promote literacy in the classrooms and beyond, celebrate Filipino American culture, history, and community, and support storytellers.
OUR ROOTS
In 2008, Justine Villanueva founded the California 501©(3) nonprofit, Libro Para Sa Tanan, A Literacy Project, with her husband, Michael Lynes, and her sister, Julienne Villanueva.
Their mission was to promote literacy in her hometown of Bukidnon in the Philippines. Since then, we have donated hundreds of books to several libraries in Bukidnon through the generous support of our kapwa and community partners.
In 2013, when she looked for picture books to read to her children, Justine realized the great need for books in Filipino languages that highlighted the stories of Filipinx American children and their families.
She could not believe that with over three million Filipinos in the United States, she found only two traditionally published picture books that featured Filipinx American children.
Read more about the need for diversity in children's books here.
Illustration by David Huyck, in consultation with Sarah Park Dahlen. Released under
a Creative Commons BY-SA license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-so/4.0/
Thus, we decided to lean into our calling and create what the community needs. The nonprofit broadened its mission to publishing picture books. In 2017, we published our first crowdfunded, trilingual children’s picture book, Mama, Mama, Do You Know What I Like?
In 2022, we were recognized as “one of the first crowdfunded book presses in the Filipino American community in 2016" by the SAGE Encyclopedia of Filipina/x/o American Studies.
Today, there are more traditionally published picture books by Filipino bookmakers about Filipinx American kids, but the need remains great. Through our community outreach efforts and partnerships with diverse distributors, our publications reach more families every day. Seeing the impact that quality representation has on children of the diaspora inspires our continued commitment to publishing stories about, for, and by the Filipinx American community.
Photo by Kleomarlo, released under a Creative Commons BY-SA license.
We trace our inspiration to the mountains of Bukidnon which nurtured Justine and Julienne before they immigrated to the United States as teens. Additionally, we named our press Sawaga River Press to honor Sawaga River, a source of life for the community, and a tributary of the mighty Pulangui River which runs across Bukidnon.
We draw upon Bukidnon myths, folklore, stories, languages, and worldview as foundations for our storytelling, synergized by our experiences in the land where we now live. Sawaga River lives in our hearts even as we create our homes in California.
Illustrated by Lynnor Bontigao
We are on a life-long journey to live our lives in gratitude for the gifts we received, while also healing from the harm brought on by colonization. We offer our gifts to serve our kapwa as we learn to dwell on the land where we now live in the diaspora.
Thus, all our books vary on these themes: storytelling as healing, honoring our ancestors, and reclamation of our whole selves, including our ancestral languages and ways of being.
Our press is our contribution to and our form of prayer for our collective healing, belonging, and liberation.
We are glad you are with us on this journey.
Learn more about the work we do in the community through Our Services.
🎧 LISTEN TO JUSTINE DISCUSS CREATING THE NONPROFIT
👓 READ MORE ABOUT OUR FOUNDING
SUPPORT OUR NON-PROFIT
SUPPORT OUR NON-PROFIT
Illustrated by Lynnor Bontigao
We are a 501(c)(3) California nonprofit that is passionate about sharing Filipino culture and history. Your donation will support our efforts to promote literacy, celebrate Filipino American culture, history, and community, and support storytellers. Your donations are tax-deductible.
