Who we are
Cafecito y Cuentos was born from a simple but urgent belief:
Latine stories deserve space, stage, and sustainability in the Midwest.
We are brewing the first Latine author-centered literary revolution in Kansas City , a place where storytelling feels like home. Where culture is not a footnote. Where authors are welcomed not just as guests, but as familia.
Cafecito y Cuentos is founded by three community and culture-driven women who believe that literature is liberation, that gathering is power, and that joy is resistance.
🌺 Marielena Marroquin
Founder of Cultura Consultants KC
Marielena is a cultural strategist, political advisor, and public speaker rooted deeply in Puerto Rican identity and liberation work. She bridges lived experience with legislative change through vulnerability, storytelling, and ancestral wisdom — shifting narratives, building coalitions, and advocating for culturally grounded policy solutions.
She is also the founder of KC Latina Book Club, where she creates spaces for resistance and radical joy. Her work reminds us that culture is not aesthetic — it is infrastructure.
Marielena Marroquin 💕América Fontenot
Owner of The Littlest Library
América is the founder of Kansas City’s only Latina-owned bookstore, The Littlest Library, a boutique literary space rooted in romance, representation, and a mirror of her Mexican upbringing. Through author events, book clubs, creative workshops, and curated collections, she has built a space where readers feel seen and celebrated.
With Cafecito y Cuentos, she expands that mission beyond shelves — creating a platform that uplifts Latine authors through live events, podcast storytelling, and sustainable community centered gathering.
América FontenotKelly Stromberg🌻 Kelly Stromberg
Owner of Helianthus Books
Kelly is the founder of Helianthus Books, where she thoughtfully knits together community, culture, and minority voices through a curated literary selection. Her work centers independent publishing, diverse perspectives, and intentional storytelling.
She believes bookstores are ecosystems — places where conversations bloom and readers connect across lived experiences.
Contact us
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