MEET THE 2023 GIA FINALISTS: JULIA BREAKEY
Originally from South Africa, Julia Breakey is an emerging leader within the Indianapolis community through her cultural literacy efforts at Tomorrow Bookstore. Located on our own lively Mass Ave, the store serves as a general-interest bookstore with a focus on global stories. Julia’s lived-in experiences from abroad made her cognizant of the need for bringing global literature to Indianapolis. She directly impacts the global community within Indiana by curating stories and translations from various cultures around the world and giving them a platform to further engage with the English-speaking world.
As a 2023 Global Impression Award finalist, Julia plans to leave her global impression on Indiana by curating and stocking books from every UN-recognized country.
EDUCATION:
- University of Cape Town Bachelor’s degree, Film and Media: Screen Production
RECENT CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
- Owner of Tomorrow Bookstore
- Video Editor for Young & Laramore Video
- Junior Writer for Memeburn
- Cast Coordinator and Production Assistant for Farm Film in Cape Town, South Africa
INVOLVEMENT:
Early in her career, when not working, Julia would travel with her husband and stock up on books. However, she pivoted her career focus to international bookselling in Indianapolis when she started having a hard time finding the books she wanted locally. Julia’s main goal is to build a community with love for international and local literature. Tomorrow Bookstore looks forward to welcoming nationally recognized authors in a series called Smart Talks.
“Julia’s focus is on curating stories – about ourselves and the world around us – to create a stronger community and a better tomorrow.” – Nominator
Julia’s passion for selling books and cultivating a community centered around them is a testament to her advocacy for cultural awareness in Indiana. Since the formation of Tomorrow Bookstore in March 2023, Julia has made it her goal to curate books from every UN-recognized country to promote global awareness in Indiana. In stocking literature from all corners of the world, she advocates for representation and reaffirming of people’s identities. Witnessing customers experience joy when discovering books representing their identities sparked an “aha!” moment. Julia recounts, “It made me realize how essential it is to have diverse books that resonate with different cultures and backgrounds.”
Each section is dedicated to a certain community, including South Africa and Spain. She aspires to make Indianapolis a literary city- a portal to the world- by providing a place for people, readers and authors, to gather and share their thoughts and feelings and foster connection.
“How can we improve tomorrow?… For Indianapolis, for our community and for people.” – Julia Breakey
Julia Breakey and the other two Global Impression Award Finalists will be celebrated at the International Citizen of the Year event on October 3, 2023.
By: Marketing and Communications Intern, Amelie Zirnheld
