Sharing books, bakes, and reflections to feed the spirit and stir change.
The idea for Shelf-Rising came from a desire for a space where different parts of my life could sit at the same table: the girl who loved weekly library visits and had stacked check-outs, the teen who found joy in her first job at a bakery, the adult working in philanthropy who’s passionate about justice and community and also deeply resistant to the systems we’re working within.
One day, I dream of creating a physical space. A café bookstore that’s a gathering place, rooted in community and care, with a nonprofit arm that supports access to books, food, and belonging. But this blog is where I’m starting. A place to return to a rhythm of reading and writing. A place to connect. A place to let ideas rise ✨
Whether I’m sharing a favorite baking practice, reviewing an ugly-cry inducing novel, or writing about a headline in the news, it’s all grounded in care, curiosity, and the belief that small things like a good story, a warm treat, or a thoughtfully chosen word can make a difference.
About the Creator
Hey - I’m Jess! I studied English and writing once upon a time. In my 20s, while commuting from Jersey to the City every day, I was reading 60+ books a year covering them in post-it notes and feeding my inner self with every page. Then life happened, as it does. The push to make it, to become someone, took up most of the air.
Now in my 30s, life has shifted. The urgency of proving myself has melted away, replaced with more existential questions: Am I being a supportive daughter? How am I impacting the planet? Am I doing anything that actually makes a difference? After working like crazy in my teens and twenties, I’m more interested in slowing down and diving deeper into myself and into my community.
I believe stories, care, and connection can make a difference, not in a sweeping, fix-everything way, but in small heartfelt ways. What I mean is: have you ever felt your perspective shift because of something a character said in a novel? Like they named something you hadn’t yet found words for? Or been comforted by a warm chocolate chip cookie after a day that had been a total 💩? Have you ever sat with someone’s story, really listened, and felt how radical that kind of attention can be? Those are the moments that keep me coming back to writing, to baking, to care.
This blog is my way of leaning into that belief and hopefully creating a space where you can, too.