Developed in partnership with award-winning entrepreneur and philanthropist Tamira Chapman, Storehouse Voices will issue books across a broad range of nonfiction categories and fiction genres, promoting the richness of Black storytelling through intentional acquisitions and hiring efforts, strategic partnerships, and authentic, equity-minded community outreach. Founded with a mission of bridging the representation gap of authors of color in the publishing industry, Storehouse Voices is informed by a deep understanding of the unique cultural and historical contexts of the Black experience in America and committed to ensuring that literary works by underrepresented authors are presented authentically, respectfully, and powerfully across the publishing and media landscape.
The founder and CEO of Storehouse In A Box, LLC (SIAB), a global merchandising company that in 2022 was recognized as the eighth-fastest-growing woman-led enterprise globally, Mrs. Chapman has an established reputation for developing and delivering content that reflects the values and interests of the audiences and communities she serves. Through her multiyear association with Penguin Random House, she has supported numerous publications by hosting large-scale virtual events with authors such as Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. Mrs. Chapman will serve as Publisher of Storehouse Voices.
Porscha Burke, who most recently served as Senior Editor and Director of DEI Strategy for the Crown and Random House Publishing Groups, has been named Associate Publisher of Storehouse Voices, effective immediately. She will work closely with Mrs. Chapman in shaping the imprint's publishing program and mission and in leading the imprint's community engagement initiatives. Ms. Burke brings more than twenty years of experience in the publishing industry and has acquired and edited works by Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Jon Meacham, among other authors. An inaugural board member of People of Color in Publishing and PRH's DEI Council, she has long championed diversity in the industry. She will report to Mrs. Chapman.
Jennifer Baker, a widely respected publishing professional who previously served as Senior Editor at Amistad Books and who most recently was Senior Program Manager at Narrative Initiative, has been appointed as Editorial Director of Storehouse Voices and will join the company on February 10. A versatile editor whose interests include fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and graphic novels, Ms. Baker has acquired and published works by debut, critically acclaimed, and high-profile authors such as Jenifer Lewis and Tiffany Haddish, among others. She is the creator, host, and producer of the long-running Minorities in Publishing podcast and a former contributing editor to Electric Literature. Ms. Baker will report to Mrs. Chapman.
Also joining the Storehouse Voices editorial team will be Chelcee Johns, who has been named Executive Editor, effective February 3, reporting to Ms. Baker. With fifteen years of editorial and digital content strategy experience spanning book publishing, digital media, and online magazines, Ms. Johns brings a passion for and belief in impactful, entertaining books to help shape and create culture. Currently a Senior Editor at Ballantine, an imprint of Random House, Ms. Johns has acquired and edited numerous critically acclaimed and bestselling nonfiction and fiction titles, including Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera (a New York Times Editors' Choice selection), Rootless by Krystle Zara Appiah (an NAACP Image Award winner), and Sisterhood Heals by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, host of the award-winning Therapy for Black Girls podcast. Previously, Ms. Johns was an Associate Editor at 37 Ink/Simon & Schuster.
The blueprint for Storehouse Voices developed from the success and community engagement demonstrated by the Women & Words program, a collaboration between Penguin Random House and SIAB: a series of virtual workshops and unprecedented networking sessions pairing literary agents with aspiring authors. Designed to amplify the stories of underrepresented women and demystify the publishing industry and its processes, Women & Words had more than 10,000 Black women register within thirty days, thousands attend each online session, and numerous authors finally succeed in securing agent representation. The overwhelming success and the community's demand for more inclusive publishing opportunities directly led to the establishment of Storehouse Voices.
In keeping with its roots in Women & Words, Storehouse Voices will include an innovative community-based author incubator program in addition to acquiring books from literary agents. Five writers who participated in the Women & Words program have already been signed to book deals by Storehouse Voices, including Nia Gilliam (memoir); Cheryl Polote-Williamson (inspirational nonfiction); Temple Day Smith (historical fiction); Marie Sutton (biography/memoir); and Michael A. Tinsley (YA/fantasy).
They join celebrated playwright, director, and author David E. Talbert, whose book Everything I Know (I Learned from a Woman) was acquired by Storehouse from Albert Lee at UTA; Arian Simone, award-winning entrepreneur, author, and venture capitalist, best known as the cofounder and CEO of the Fearless Fund, which invests in women of color–led businesses, whose book Freedom to Be Fearless was acquired by Storehouse from Meredith Miller at UTA; and Demond Martin, whose inspirational memoir Friends of the Good was acquired by Storehouse from Gail Ross at WME. An investor, a philanthropist, and the cofounder and CEO of WellWithAll, an innovative health and wellness company that pours a significant portion of its profits into health equity for Black, Brown, and underserved communities, Mr. Martin is a former partner at Adage Capital Management and a member of the Board of Directors of the Obama Foundation.
Further details about Storehouse Voices' inaugural roster of authors and works can be found at www.storehousevoices.com.
As part of its unique publishing proposition, Storehouse Voices offers a comprehensive ecosystem designed to support emerging authors by showcasing their work, providing feedback, and connecting writers with literary agents and a vibrant network of book lovers. Storehouse's digital platform, storehousevoices.com, will enable authors to create detailed profiles to showcase their work, connect with readers and agents, and participate in community conversations and events. The platform includes a dedicated portal for manuscript submissions, tracking tools to monitor submission status, and integrated review and ratings systems to provide feedback. Additionally, authors can provide book updates, publish blogs, share reviews, and offer sample chapters to engage directly with early readers of their works.
Said Tamira Chapman of Storehouse Voices: "We're creating a home for Black voices and celebrating the richness of diverse storytelling. I'm deeply grateful to the tens of thousands of Black women whose passion and dedication to excellence in literature made this moment possible, and to David Drake, Porscha Burke, and Penguin Random House for their leadership and belief in the importance of amplifying Black voices. Diverse authors have a home here, and we call on the brightest talent in publishing to join us in reshaping the narrative. Together, we will tell bold, inclusive stories that honor our experiences, amplify our voices, and redefine the future of storytelling for generations to come."
Said David Drake, President of the Crown Publishing Group: "As a visionary entrepreneur and industry disruptor with a relentless focus on achieving excellence, Tamira Chapman has long demonstrated an unwavering commitment to developing content that speaks to the experience of the audiences she serves and that fosters an authentic sense of community. Crown is honored to partner with her and the talented team at Storehouse Voices to break some publishing molds that have long needed to be broken to better serve diverse authors and readers."
Said Porscha Burke of Storehouse Voices: "It is not lost on me that Toni Morrison, as an editor at Random House, still needed to get the approval of others in order to acquire books for her list. The curatorial power Tamira and Storehouse will enjoy—and our collective deep roots in both reader communities and traditional publishing structures—is the fruit of such incredible ancestors' labor. It is an honor to be able to expand the impact of their work in such fresh and exciting ways."
Said Jennifer Baker of Storehouse Voices: "For many of us, books are our lifeblood as well as our life's work. Storehouse Voices represents an innovative way to share stories of the African diaspora; Storehouse's mission also speaks to so much of what I've loved about the arts and its many intersections. I mentioned to Tamira [Chapman] and Porscha [Burke] that they're a true powerhouse, and I meant it. Their leadership and combined expertise, the bounty of amazing stories to be told and championed, and the support from David [Drake] and Crown will further foreground our perspectives and stories. It's a true honor to collaborate and dream with this team."
Said Chelcee Johns of Storehouse Voices: "Storehouse Voices is answering a felt need in the industry for both authors and readers alike while making innovation and authenticity key cornerstones. I look forward to being a part of the foundation-building of such an imprint and bringing books to the world that impact, uplift, and entertain."
