As Florida changed its Black history curriculum and removed books from public schools… first-time Tampa city councilwoman Gwen Henderson pushed back and opened a bookstore.

Florida Matters visited Henderson at the bookstore she runs in Tampa Heights with her daughter Ariel. It’s called “Black English.”

Henderson, who wears a ball cap covered in buttons- Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Florida A&M University and others, says her mission is to elevate books by Black authors, especially graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs.

We sat down to talk about being an educator, books, politics and her priorities for the district she represents.