Andrew (Drew) Pineda (he/him) is a Filipinx storyteller and community advocate currently rooted in Waawiyaatanong (Detroit–specifically the SouthWest neighborhood). He is a co-owner of 27th Letter Books, an independent bookstore that strives to highlight historically underrepresented voices and promote narratives in all forms. As a writer, his work has appeared in magazines like Crab Orchard Review and Barrelhouse Magazine. He was born on Turtle Island on Shoshone lands (northern Utah) and grew up on Lenape lands (New Jersey) as well as in Germany. He is of Tagalog and Kapampangan descent.

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Andrew’s awareness of being in community and from a diasporic peoples started at a young age when he moved to Germany as a result of being a “military brat.” Continuing his family tradition of military service he became an officer, serving in various locations across the US: from the Gulf Coast (Biloxi), West Coast (Chumash) and South West (Shoshone). During his time in the service, he was diagnosed with blood cancer and found writing and critical reading as essential to his healing.

When he left the service after 5 years, he traveled with his wife Erin for 9 months across the so-called United States and sought to strengthen his relationship with land, self, family, and community–wherever he was to land next. Through this developing spiritual/political/social consciousness, he envisioned a community-centered bookstore and moved to Waawiyaatanong (his wife is from the area). Throughout the years, he and Erin sold books in pop-up events until opening a permanent physical location in the Southwest Detroit neighborhood in 2021. There, he continues to grow roots and strives to live in right relationship with his community. When he isn’t writing or selling books, he’s listening to records and cooking.