o Our Aunt Lute Community,
As you may know, 2024 was a difficult year for independent presses, and 2025 is proving to be just as challenging.
Between the unexpected shutdown of Small Press Distribution and the transition of the White House Administration, the Aunt Lute team was forced to adapt. Last year ended with a glimmer of hope, when it was announced that Aunt Lute Books was awarded one of its largest National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants for the production of audiobooks.
However, in May, the current White House Administration officially terminated all NEA Literary Arts Grants. You can read more in this Publisher’s Weekly article. We are now reaching out to you, our powerful Aunt Lute community, for your support in bringing bold feminist literature to the world.
Namely, we are asking for four things:
- Volunteers: We have an amazing set of titles for the 2025/2026 season. If you are passionate about feminist literature, we are seeking four volunteers to work 2 to 5 hours a week to support book promotion, outreach, and event coordination. Please email marketing@auntlute.com with the subject line “MARKETING VOLUNTEER” if you are interested.
- Fundraisers: We are looking for 10 readers with engaged online communities to lead Facebook or Instagram fundraisers with the goal of $1K each. Please email marketing@auntlute.com so we can provide you graphics and share your campaigns to our social media platforms with the subject line “FUNDRAISER”.
- Donors: We know times right now are hard for everyone. If you have the means, we would truly appreciate your financial contributions. You can use this link: https://www.auntlute.com/donate. We will also be sending a mailer campaign later this month.
- Sponsors: We are also looking for organizations to sponsor the first annual Aunt Lute fundraiser, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed, happening Sunday, September 28th at 1PM in Oakland, CA. Please email books@auntlute.com with the subject line “SPONSOR” for further details.
Thank you so much for being a part of the Aunt Lute community. Surviving the next few years will depend on coalition building and the kinds of mutual aid community support that we ordinarily participate in for our authors and partners. We can’t move forward without your support. Aunt Lute has always been more than a publisher. We’re a home for voices that challenge, inspire, and transform.
If you believe in this work, please join us, however you can. Follow this link to make a tax-deductible donation: https://www.auntlute.com/donate
Paper Phoenix ink 