Angelica Santibanez, Amazon’s head of community engagement for Florida and Latin America, is a self-proclaimed “proud product of the 305” and a first-generation daughter of immigrants from Cuba and Venezuela.
What compelled Amazon to partner with Miami Book Fair – how does our work support your community-building goals?
Amazon began as an online bookseller, and while our operations and inventory look quite different now, we haven’t forgotten our roots. We’re committed to inspire the next generation of lifelong readers by reducing barriers to learning. Miami Book Fair serves as a staple in the community so it’s a natural fit to get involved with an event that benefits so many and brings literacy to life!
Tell me about some of the other organizations you partner with in Miami.
We work with hundreds of partners to address a range of critical social needs. Our aim is to make our customers’ lives better and easier every day, and we apply this innovative spirit within our hometown communities, using our scale and abilities to take on some of society’s most pressing challenges. Side-by-side with our community partners, we tackle things like food insecurity, veteran support, small-to-medium-size business support, access to education, arts and culture activities, health and wellness initiatives, and upskilling and workforce development organizations. And when disaster strikes in Florida, we mobilize our infrastructure and technology to quickly support affected communities throughout the state.
How does MBF’s work align with your personal thoughts on access to literary culture?
Literacy and reading affects everyone, everywhere. I believe reading helps open the imagination and creativity – you never know how your world can change through a good book or story.
What was the experience like for you and your team at Miami Book Fair 2024?
In a word, magnificent! Working with MBF and the entire development team was a true pleasure. They listened to what makes a great partnership with Amazon, understood that we want to be ingrained in the community, and worked diligently to make sure to deliver on our vision, which was to bring more kids and families to the Fair and Children’s Alley. We were also able to extend tickets to children and families thanks to a partnership with The Children’s Trust, through which we invited its Book Club families to attend Street Fair for free.
What are you reading right now and what’s next on your reading list?
I’m currently reading This is a Love Story by Jessica Soffer; next up is Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari.
If you could have a one-on-one lunch with any author, living or dead, who would they be?
Barbara Bush. I truly enjoyed her Pearls of Wisdom: Little Pieces of Advice (That Go a Long Way). It’s a small but mighty book with lessons that each family can and should use in today’s world.
Interview by Elisa Chemayne Agostinho; responses have been edited for space and clarity.
