We are a group of activists, educators, and workers with a shared goal of establishing a worker-owned bookstore and community space in Washington DC.
Bol is rooted in the ideals of justice and international solidarity. Through its curated book collection and public events, it tries to build collective power with a commitment to open dialogue, never-ending curiosity, and social change.
The word Bol means “to speak” in Urdu and Hindi. It is inspired by an Urdu poem titled Bol by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The poem exhorts the audience to speak up and speak out. Inspired by Faiz’s call to action, we want our community to bring their ideas, questions, and openness with them. We want to speak without fear and with the humility to learn something new. We want to speak in a way that has been slowly eroded in the era of fake news and social media. We want to speak against injustice by finding new ways to relate and act together. We want to speak with courage, conviction, and love. We want to speak with the intention of forging global solidarities rooted in a deep sense of care for one another.
As a worker-owned cooperative bookstore, we have benefitted tremendously from the burgeoning cooperative ecosystem of the city. When workers take control of their workplaces, receive profits, and decide their future, we get closer to a just and fair economic system.