Three high school students, Naiara Cesca Wuisan, Gracelyn Atmadja and Mishka Fangiono are aiming to do just that, answering the call to action to reimagine how literature can be brought closer to young people.  

They envisioned a vibrant, inclusive literary movement, one where stories are not only read, but deeply felt, discussed and lived together. For them, literature holds the power to shape perspectives, build empathy and ignite the spirit of a more connected and thoughtful generation. 

To foster a love of reading and amplify more Indonesian voices, the three started Roomforlit. What started as a book club on Instagram quickly grew, and becoming a dynamic platform for youth engagement and literary advocacy.   

“We need to revive community dialogue and invite diverse perspectives on today’s most pressing issues, because the challenges we face today demand more than one story,” said Gracelyn, explaining the vision. “Literature gives us that shared starting point, a page that anyone, anywhere, can turn and interpret anew. By gathering around books, we create space to exchange ideas, question assumptions and find common purpose across cultures and generations.”  

This month, they created their first event at the NIKA Senopati coffee shop to discuss SORE: Istri Dari Masa Depan as their first book. Explaining the reason for it, Gracelyn stated that the themes discussed in the book are universal for everyone, therefore allowing for a fruitful discussion about shared experiences.  

They also invited Suryana Paramita to better explain the writing process and the ideas beyond the pages allowing the reader to delve deeper. As the author, she also recently served as a producer for the box office movie. 

(Courtesy of Mayora)

By integrating a film screening with literary discussion, Roomforlit offered participants a multidimensional storytelling experience, that invited them to see how written words can evolve into powerful cinematic moments.  

Through this approach, audiences were encouraged to reflect on how cultural context influences our connection with characters, emotions, and ideas. More than just deepening appreciation for literature and film, the event reaffirmed Roomforlit’s mission: to make literature relevant, alive, and accessible—bringing stories off the page and into meaningful, shared conversations. 

“Over the summer, we've been exploring. We watched SORE, the film, and we got really inspired and decided maybe it's time to shift our focus from just reading Western books to more Indonesian books. And really spotlight Indonesian stories,” Mishka said, adding that the event is aimed as a platform to highlight local voices and promote Indonesian literature. 

Through works like SORE, Roomforlit also hopes to showcase the richness of Indonesia’s storytelling tradition to wider audiences, while encouraging a new wave of young local writers to embrace their voices and share their stories with the world. 

“I think Sore is unique in that it's not just set in Indonesia. It's a very universal movie. And I guess we're just wondering how the author and the director, how they managed to make that concept also relatable to Indonesian audiences. How they managed to get that message across. And the movie is so popular now,” Naiara echoed. 

(Courtesy of Mayora)

The event is just another way for them to better reach the audience of their book club. In the past, Roomforlit has collaborated with the Indonesian Children’s Literacy Foundation (YLAI) to be able to offer wider access to literacy for children and youth across the country.

In the future, the founders plan to expand Roomforlit’s reach beyond major cities, bringing more Indonesian stories into classrooms, libraries and community spaces across the country.  

Their long-term vision is to inspire not only more readers, but also future writers and cultural advocates, young people who will continue the cycle of storytelling and preserve Indonesia’s literary heritage for generations to come. 

“We believe literature is one of the most important ways to preserve our culture. Through Indonesian stories, poems and narratives, we learn to understand our identity and roots, while building a strong sense of community among the younger generation,” Gracelyn, Naia, and Mishka from RoomforLit conclude.  

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