Sports
Anaheim finally has a bookstore that ‘feels like home’
The crowd inside the Untold Story in Anaheim was ready for open mic night to begin last week, but there was no way it would start on time.
Whenever owner Lizzette Barrios Gracián tried to approach the podium, someone pulled her away for a hug. A congrats. A recommendation. A thanks.
The bookstore opened last year in an industrial part of the city so isolated that 911 dispatchers couldn’t find it when Barrios Gracián called about a medical emergency. Though it quickly earned a loyal following for focusing on BIPOC books and allowing activists to meet there without having to buy anything, the location wasn’t working, and Barrios Gracián was ready to close what had been a longtime dream.
Then she found a better, if smaller, place in a strip mall near downtown, within walking distance of her home. The Untold Story reopened a few weeks ago, and this was the first open mic night at the new spot.
“Oh my god, what a difference location makes,” Barrios Gracián told me as people kept filing in on July 25. “They’re coming to hang out, they’re coming to buy, they’re coming to organize, they’re coming from across the country.”
Among the customers she talked to that day: Toby from Florida. Nick from Kentucky who lives in Utah. A group of teenage girls in town for a water polo tournament. Anton Diubenko of Ukraine, who was in Orange County to see a friend and told me he visits bookstores around the world.
“This one’s really nice,” Diubenko said. “If I was a local, I’d come here every week.”
Barrios Gracián finally reached the podium. She was 20 minutes late. No one cared.
“Thank you muchachos!” the 52-year-old said in a loud, warm tone that hinted at her day job as a history teacher at Gilbert High in Anaheim. “Bienvenidos to our new location of the Untold Story, Chapter 2! Your job tonight is to support, clap and give lots of love.”
Lizzette Barrios Gracián, owner of the Untold Story bookstore, is also a history teacher at Gilbert High School in Anaheim.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Over the next two hours, the audience snapped their fingers, applauded, hooted in approval or nodded as speakers poured out their proverbial hearts in English, Spanish and Nahuatl. Local political blogger Vern Nelson tickled out on his electric keyboard the Mexican children’s tune “El Ratón Vaquero” as adults and teens alike sang and clapped along. Every time someone went up to perform, Barrios Gracián sat in their seat, because all the others were occupied.
“The greatest success of this bookstore,” she said in closing, flashing a smile as bright as her gunmetal gray hair, “is uniting all of you.”
Although the night was officially over, no one left. They wanted to exult in the moment.
Vivian Lee, who organizes board game get-togethers at the bookstore through her role as community engagement coordinator for the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, said that “welcoming spaces” can be hard to find in her native city.
“People like Liz are just so incredible,” said Lee, 30. “She’s game for anything that helps community.”
Paola Gutierrez teaches monthly bilingual poetry classes at the Untold Story. “When I first asked if she could sell my book, she said not just ‘Yes’ but ‘We will promote you and help you,’” the 47-year-old said. “How can I not say I’m free for whatever you need?”
She pointed at a massive couch and laughed. “Liz needs me to move this freakin’ thing again? Let’s do it!”
Barrios-Gracian, center, introduces poets during her bookstore’s open mic night last week.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
I visited Barrios Gracián the following day when things were chiller. The Untold Story’s design is bohemian Latinx. All the fixtures and artwork are donated, including bookshelves, massive mirrors and a bust of the Egyptian goddess Isis as well as a replica of the Titanic above the used fiction section. Insulation peeks out from sagging ceiling tiles. A stand next to the gift section offers free toiletries and canned and dried food.
“We’re going through hard times,” Barrios Gracián said as Argentine rock gods Soda Stereo played lightly from speakers. “I can’t give a lot, but I can give.”
How did she think open mic night went?
“It was very successful for our first time here,” she responded. “You never know if people will follow you when you move.”
A customer walked in.
“Hi, welcome!” Barrios Gracián exclaimed, the first of many times she would do that during our chat. “Don’t shy away, you don’t have to buy!”
Born in Guadalajara, Barrios Gracián came to Anaheim with her parents in the 1980s without papers, eventually legalizing through the 1986 amnesty. A bookworm from a young age, she found her “safe space” as a teen and young adult in long-gone bookstores such as Book Baron in Anaheim (“I loved how disorganized it was”) and the bilingual Librería Martínez in Santa Ana.
When the latter closed in 2016, Barrios Gracián vowed to open a version of it when her daughters were older. In 2021, she launched the Untold Story as a website and a pop-up, aiming to eventually open a storefront in her hometown.
“Anaheim is nothing but breweries,” she said. “That’s the teacher in me. There’s nothing cultural for our youth — they have to go to Santa Ana to find it, while [Anaheim] lets gentrification go crazy.”
Rent proved prohibitive at most spaces. At others, prospective landlords would offer a lease only if the Untold Story dropped its books on critical race theory, which she refused to do.
“Those are the untold stories,” Barrios Gracián said. “Anaheim needs to hear them. Everyone needs to hear them.”
She greeted Benjamin Smith Jr. of Riverside, who had read the previous night and was returning now with his poetry books.
“I can sell them, but we should have an event just for you, because people like to meet the author of the book they might buy,” Barrios Gracián told Smith. He beamed.
Hailey Sotelo, 15, a student at Savanna High School in Anaheim, reads her poetry during the Untold Story’s open mic night.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Liz gives people chances,” Smith, 68, told me. “I’m no one famous, but look at me here now.”
Barrios Gracián is keeping her job at Gilbert High, where she also heads the continuation school’s teen parent support program. At the Untold Story, she wants to host more author signings and launch an oral history project for students to record the stories of Anaheim’s Latino elders.
“We’re in a crucial moment where our stories must be told from the past,” she said. “Ellos sobrevivieron, también nosotros [They survived, we can as well]. It brings hope.”
One thing I suggested she work on is the business side. The books are ridiculously affordable — used copies of a J. Robert Oppenheimer biography and a book about the rise of Nazism in L.A. before World War II set me back $11. Barrios Gracián’s training consisted of a free entrepreneur course through the city of Anaheim, a video by the American Booksellers Assn., talking to other bookstore owners and Googling “how to open a bookstore.”
She laughed.
“I tell my students we learn by falling and then getting back up,” she said. “If I can make money, it would be great, but that’s not the point here. Might sound crazy for business people, right?”
The numbers are thankfully going “in the right direction,” said the Untold Story’s manager, Magda Borbon. Barrios Gracián was one of her favorite teachers at Katella High School, “so now it’s time to pay it back” by working at the store, she said.
Like me and too many other Anaheimers, Borbon moved to Santa Ana “because I didn’t see myself culturally in Anaheim. Now I do.”
Barrios Gracián excused herself to greet more customers. I walked over to a table where a group of women were painting book covers as part of their book club. It was everyone’s first time at the Untold Story.
“This is very much an extension of Liz,” said Angela Stecher, who has worked with Barrios Gracián before. “She’s been talking about doing something like this for years, and it’s wonderful to see her do it.”
“This is like something that you’d see in San Francisco,” added Maria Zacarias, who grew up in Anaheim and now lives in Santa Ana.
“You go to a bookstore, you feel like you can’t touch anything because everything is so neat,” said Liliana Mora. She waved around the room as more people streamed in. “Here, it feels like home.”
PELLA — Central College men’s track and field hurdler and high jumper Gunner Meyer (senior, Fairbank, Wapsie Valley HS) was named the USTFCCCA Division III Men’s National Athlete of the Week Monday.
In the 60-meter hurdles race at the Jimmy Grant Alumni Invitational hosted by the University of Iowa Saturday, Meyer clocked in at 7.92 second. It’s the fastest time by any Division III athlete so far this season. It’s also the fastest in American Rivers Conference history. He placed third in the meet behind a pair of Hawkeyes.
At the Dutch Holiday Preview on Friday, Meyer cleared 6 feet, 7.5 inches in the high jump. He finished second after teammate Lance Bunde (sophomore, Guthrie Center, ACGC HS) cleared the same bar but in fewer attempts. He is tied for seventh in Division III with that height.
This is the second time a Central athlete has received the national weekly honor for the indoor season. The first was Eric Larson in 2015.
STANDISH, Maine – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) weekly honors have been released and Saint Joseph’s College of Maine was well-represented, with sophomore Isaac Keresey (Pittsfield, Maine) named GNAC Track Athlete of the Week, junior Tudum Monday (Lewiston, Maine) selected as GNAC Field Athlete of the Week, and freshman Stephen Pierre (Turner, Maine) earning GNAC Rookie of the Week recognition following their performances at the USM Alumni Open.
Keresey claimed Track Athlete of the Week after placing second in the mile with a time of 4:31.81 and running on Saint Joseph’s second-place 4×400-meter relay that clocked 3:42.01. Keresey is now the top-ranked miler in the GNAC and sits ninth in Division III New England early in the 2025-26 indoor season.
Pierre was tabbed Rookie of the Week after setting two school records at the USM Alumni Open. He won the long jump with a mark of 6.81m (22′ 4.25″), meeting the New England Division III automatic qualifying standard, and placed second in the 55-meter hurdles in 7.98, a New England Division III provisional time. Pierre now leads the GNAC in both events and is ranked sixth in Division III New England in the long jump and eighth in Division III New England in the hurdles as of December 14.
Monday earned Field Athlete of the Week honors by winning the triple jump with a mark of 13.03m (42′ 9″), meeting the New England Division III provisional standard. He also ran 8.24 in the 55-meter hurdles prelims, meeting the New England Division III provisional standard in that event as well. Monday ranks first in the GNAC in the triple jump by 60 centimeters and sits 14th in Division III New England.
STANDISH, Maine – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) weekly honors have been released and Saint Joseph’s College of Maine was well-represented, with freshman Amber Pendleton (Warren, Maine) named GNAC Track Athlete of the Week, sophomore Olivia Bean (South Portland, Maine) selected as GNAC Field Athlete of the Week, and freshman Olivea Miller (Livermore Falls, Maine) earning GNAC Rookie of the Week recognition following their performances at the USM Alumni Open.
Pendleton claimed Track Athlete of the Week after winning the 500 meters in 1:27.86, setting a Saint Joseph’s program record. She also competed on the winning 4×400-meter relay that recorded a time of 4:30.61.
Miller was tabbed Rookie of the Week after placing second in the 200 meters in 27.37, meeting the New England Division III provisional qualifying standard. She also finished second in the high jump with a clearance of 1.47m (4′ 9.75″). Miller now leads the GNAC in both events and is ranked 21st in Division III New England in the 200m and 26th in Division III New England in the high jump as of December 14.
Bean earned Field Athlete of the Week honors by winning the triple jump with a school-record mark of 10.72m (35′ 2″), meeting the New England Division III provisional standard. She also placed eighth in the long jump with a best of 4.68m (15′ 4.25″). Bean’s record-setting triple jump mark currently ranks seventh in the New England region.
The Case Western Reserve University women’s cross country team saw a talented class of first-year runners lead the way, as the team was represented at the NCAA Division III Championships for the sixth time in the last seven years in 2025.
CWRU was led by a pair of first-years, as Francesca Taracila was the top-finishing Spartan in three races during the year, while Halina Tompkins crossed the finish line first among Spartans on four occasions. Taracila got stronger as the season went on and was the first CWRU runner to cross the line at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship, earning an NCAA Championship berth with a ninth-place finish overall at the meet with a career-best time of 22:28.8 in the women’s 6K.
Taracila went on to place 74th out of 290 total finishers at the NCAA Division III Championship in Spartanburg, South Carolina the following week. Her time of 22:35.9 was the seventh-fastest among 45 total first-year runners at the meet. It marked the 22nd consecutive season that the Spartans have been represented by at least one men’s or women’s team member at the NCAA Division III Championship.
In addition to Taracila, Tompkins also claimed all-region honors with a 26th-place finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Region Championship. Also scoring for the Spartans at the meet were seniors Arianna Holbrook (41st) and Ayla Grabenbauer (42nd), along with first-year Reid Smith (46th). CWRU placed sixth out of 37 total teams at the regional championship.
CWRU also placed seventh at the UAA Championship on November 1 behind a 29th-place finish from Tompkins and a 33rd-place finish from Taracila.
The Spartans were featured in all nine United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Great Lakes Region polls during the year, and were ranked as high as fourth in the region over the course of the campaign. CWRU has been ranked in 12 consecutive regional polls dating back to last season.
Other highlights from the season included team wins at both the Daniel Mullen Memorial Invitational on October 4 and the Oberlin Inter-Regional Rumble on October 18. CWRU placed five runners in the top-10 at the Daniel Mullen Invite, including Taracila (second), first-year Aditi Mukundhan (fourth), sophomore Cecilia Postma (fifth), Smith (sixth), and sophomore Becca Liaw (ninth). Tompkins also led the way at the Oberlin Inter-Regional Rumble with a 10th-place finish and was followed by Taracila (12th), Holbrook (16th), Liaw (21st), and Mukundhan (22nd). Eight of the 12 Spartan runners who competed at Oberlin recorded season-best times, including Tompkins, whose time of 22:17.9 was the fastest by a Spartan in 2025.
The Spartans added a third-place finish out of 11 teams at the Pre-National Meet and opened the season with a 15-50 win over John Carroll at the Bill Sudeck Invitational with each of the top seven finishers in the race coming from CWRU.
In addition to the team’s athletic success during the season, eight members of the women’s cross country team received UAA Fall All-Academic honors, including Grabenbauer, senior Julia Hluck, senior Lauren Iagnemma, sophomore Ciara Ledford, Liaw, senior Medha Patria, Postma, and sophomore Julia Walko.
The Spartans earned the following individual honors during the 2025 season:
Colorado College opened the 2025-26 track & field season at the Colorado Running Company Pre-Holiday Invite and Multi last weekend at UCCS.
Freshman Riley Webb posted the best individual performance for the Tigers, placing fourth in the women’s 400 with a time of 1:01.42. Senior Allison Barker followed in sixth place in 1:02.92 and sophomore Chloe Johnson was 14th in 1:07.65.
Senior Emma Jones and freshman Jane Keenan tied for 10th in the pole vault, while sophomore Jordyn Tomlinson placed 12th in the shot put.
Junior Zaniya Bruno Munn and sophomore Keely Lueckeman ran in the prelims of the 60-meter dash, while Lueckeman and fellow sophomore Clara Kirr competed in the prelims of the 200-meter dash.
The Tigers return to action at the Colorado Invitational, Jan. 23-24, in Boulder, Colo.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — William & Mary volleyball announced the signing of three student-athletes to its incoming 2026 freshman class on Monday. Joining the Tribe is Regan Hill, Emily McKee, and Teagan Pocius.
“We are so excited to welcome our 2026 signing class!” said William & Mary interim head coach Emma Minnick. This group brings high-level club experience, strong talent, and an immediate commitment to our program’s culture and goals. We are confident they will elevate our play and we can’t wait for them to join the team!”
| 2026 W&M TRIBE VOLLEYBALL FRESHMAN SIGNING CLASS | |||
| NAME | POS | HT | HOMETOWN / HIGH SCHOOL |
| Regan Hill | OPP | 5-10 | Garnet Valley, Pa. / Garnet Valley HS |
| Emily McKee | OH | 5-11 | Stamford, Conn. / King School |
| Teagan Pocius | MB | 6-0 | St. Louis, Mo. / Marquette HS |
Regan Hill
5-10 • Opposite hitter • Garnet Valley, Pa. • Garnet Valley High School
HIGH SCHOOL: Two-time first team all-state selection at Garnet Valley High School where she holds the school record for kills, blocks, and aces… Earned all-district and All-Central League honors three times… Varsity captain… Played for club teams Dynamic Volleyball Academy and East Coast Power.
PERSONAL: Intends to major in biology… Had a 3.97 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society and National Art Society… Four-time honor roll selection and two-time distinguished honor roll… Grandfather played football at Northwestern College in Iowa.
Why W&M? “I chose William & Mary because it has a really strong academic program and opportunities to help me in my career development. I’m also excited to get the chance to play volleyball there, challenging myself both academically and athletically. Lastly, the atmosphere there is everything I was hoping for. The community is so supportive, and the campus is beyond gorgeous.”
Emily McKee
5-11 • Outside hitter • Stamford, Conn. • King School
HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year varsity player and two-year captain at King School in Connecticut… Four-time FAA All-League First Team selection… Named 2025 NEPSAC Class A Player of the Year… Helped lead King to four FAA championships, four NEPSAC championships, and three undefeated seasons with a total record of 86-1… Holds the school record for kills with over 1,000… Named to the 2025 AVCA All-American Watchlist and AVCA Girls High School All-Region Team playing for Northeast Volleyball Club.
PERSONAL: Intends to major in business… Participated in the Fellowship Friday Mentor & Clinker Buddy Program Mentor, which provides mentoring to younger students in the community… Earned high honors in the classroom every year of her high school career.
Why W&M? “I chose William & Mary because the sense of belonging I felt with the volleyball team was unmatched. It’s a place where I know I’ll be pushed both academically and athletically, and the program’s supportive, competitive, and team-oriented culture truly stood out to me. I can’t wait to get on campus and be a part of this program.”
Teagan Pocius
6-0 • Middle blocker • St. Louis, Mo. • Marquette High School
HIGH SCHOOL: All-state, all-district and all-conference selection at Marquette High School… Owns school records for career kills (986), career blocks (413), single-season blocks (139), single-game kills (32), and single-game blocks (10)… Named to the 2024 USAV All-Tournament Team… Earned AVCA All-Region honors in 2024 and 2025… Tabbed to the AVCA All-America Watch List… Played for Rockwood Thunder Club team.
PERSONAL: Intends to major in business analytics… Had a 3.96 GPA and was a four-time academic all-state selection… Has played viola in orchestra since fourth grade… Member of the National Honor Society.
Why W&M? “I chose W&M because it’s literally a complete package. It has everything down to the academics, the athletics, the team, and the environment I was looking for. Truly, [it was] such an easy choice to make.”
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