San Mateo's Reach and Teach owners reflect on progress

Since first starting their business in 2004, the couple has centered social justice in this business model. Items sitting on the shelves of Reach and Teach at 144 W. 25th Ave. vary from socially informative books to interactive games to handcrafted jewelry.

When pointing out any item, both can launch into details of where the item was made and by whom, why they started making it and the future benefits purchasing the item will have.

While naturally inquisitive people and storytellers at heart, Wiesner and Kikuchi said their devotion to social justice and equity also grew from personal turmoil. As a young Jewish boy living in New York, Wiesner experienced the hardships of poverty and sexual assault before eventually enlisting in the U.S. Air Force.

In California, Kikuchi was being raised by a man once forced into a Japanese internment camp during World War II. The history deeply influenced his view of the world and even more so as he watched his father stand up for others to his own detriment.

Being gay forced Wiesner out of the military, ending a career he loved passionately but sending him on a path to meet Kikuchi, who he calls his greatest treasure. The free love of San Francisco helped Kikuchi come to terms with his sexuality but he noted neither of the men have always been well received.

“In our lives no, that’s definitely true and how we ended up where we are is kind of a reflection of that,” Kikuchi said.

Fueled by their own hardships, the married couple of more than 30 years, legally since 2008, focused their attention on struggling regions of the world, settling with civil war survivors in El Salvador, advocating for border justice between the United States and Mexico and speaking out against the violence between Israel and Palestine.

A trip to war-riddled Afghanistan following the fall of the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2002, and the eventual invasion of U.S. troops led both to end their careers in tech. Kikuchi was working as an engineer and Wiesner as an e-Learning course developer when they opted to devote themselves to social justice full-time.

“Our personal life and as part of our faith community, was very rooted in social justice. Living in that community kept pushing us into new directions,” Wiesner said. “It was a ticking timeline of something major shifting in our life.”

Stalls and progress

Now deeply settled into the Peninsula, residing in Daly City but spending most of their days in San Mateo, Wiesner and Kikuchi said they work hard to curate meaningful items in their shop that reflect their values. As a certified green business and awardees of Sustainable San Mateo County’s Sustainability Award, they ensure all their products are eco-friendly.

The co-owners have also never shied away from carrying materials centered on the struggles and strengths of race, nationality, sex, gender and other marginalized identities. Books like “How to be an Antiracist” and “Antiracist Baby,” both by Ibram X. Kendi have been forward-facing features on their shelves since first being published, Kikuchi said.

But books like these have only recently started grabbing the attention of customers who have been made more aware of race issues following civil unrest spurred by the police murder of George Floyd. Occasionally, the responses get combative with customers accusing the shop of becoming political but Kikuchi and Wiesner note the shop has always been political.

“We are a left-leaning shop, heavily left leaning,” Wiesner said. “If you want to talk about war and conflict, we have books about healthy conflict resolution. We have books that talk about the history of war in the world.”

While recognizing the county as a welcoming and fairly liberal community, they said the region still has a way to go. Often their Black peers and colleagues report feeling unsafe or discriminated against.

Wiesner said he’s recently noticed increased frustrations in the community, pointing to aggressive drivers and the opinion pages of local newspapers. Similarly, Kikuchi highlighted reports of violence and tensions against Asian American and Pacific Islanders growing in the county during the pandemic.

But both men said they’ve noticed progressive ideals advance steadily in the county as well, particularly among young people. Wiesner said he was blown away by the turnout of community members who took to the streets to protest police brutality.

Queer issues have also advanced in the county, they said, noting they feel they have more allies than ever before. And for the first time in San Mateo County history, all 20 cities have agreed to raise the Pride flag during June.

“It’s a statement that is backed by a real proclamation that says we’re not going to tolerate hatred. This is a safe place,” Kikuchi said. “I think the pride flag works in very much the same way. You see it and you can sort of breathe a little easier.”

‘Tent for stories’

When first opening their doors, Wiesner said they knew the shop would become a community place. They hoped to create a safe and welcoming environment where kids of all ages could come and explore whether that be social issues, their own identity or through mind-challenging toys.

It’s that feeling that drew in Shelby Olson, a Half Moon Bay resident and now Reach and Teach employee. As a book lover and graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz where they earned a Bachelor of Arts in literature and creative writing, Olson was in search of a bookstore to dedicate their time.

“I just love this space so much and kept coming back and coming back,” Olson said. “I didn’t want to just get the job. I really cared about the space and was in awe of the fact that a space like this existed. I wanted it to continue to exist.”

Since starting at the shop last September, Olson has taken pride in helping expand the shop’s collection of books focused on transgender issues. Similarly pleased, Kikuchi shared excitement for the increase in resources on trans issues, noting the store has long tried to carry diverse stories.

Recognizing the shop’s role as a resource to families in the community, Olson said they find it extremely important to teach children about social issues from a young age and shared appreciation for how families interact with the store’s material.

“So many of the books we have for kids teach empathy and peacemaking skills,” Olson said. “By introducing these ideas of injustice and the tools for how to fight it at an early age, kids will grow up much more prepared to face these challenges, and help to make lasting change as adults.”

Kikuchi and Wiesner have managed to retain their connection to the community through the pandemic by offering delivery services, noting no item was too small to pull them into San Francisco or into the South Bay.

Now transitioning out of the pandemic, they have reopened their doors, eager to return to the community space they’ve worked to cultivate. They also have plans to further expand their storytelling through hosting a Storytime for Kids event.

“As soon as we had brick and mortar, we knew this was a community space,” Wiesner said. “We think of our space as a tent for stories. Naturally, bookstores are that.”

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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