February 1st, 2025

     ​

Dear Readers, Dreamers, Parents/Guardians, and Supporters, 

     Drag Story Hour NYC is changing our makeup, our clothing and putting on something even louder, more colorful, and brighter than you may be used to. We are transforming! We are changing our name!

 

     But, why? 

 

     Drag Story Hour NYC (“DSH NYC”)  was the first registered nonprofit organization that began bringing our storytime events and joy-filled programming to communities across New York City. We became a not-for-profit in 2017 and since then have been able to provide our five boroughs with over 1,000 storytime workshops, serving over 25,000 people. 

 

     Entirely separate from our organization, Drag Story Hour (“DSH”, an organization with a national focus headquartered in California) became a registered nonprofit in 2021…and while our websites and logos may look similar, the way that we operate is entirely independent from one another. In short, the work of DSH National does not and has never served Drag Story Hour NYC. We are not affiliated with DSH National and have never been an active “chapter” of said organization. 

 

     Internally, name change is something we’ve been speaking about for some time now. We’re working on our fancy rebrand and will be back in touch when we’re ready to unveil it, but in the meantime, please know that the scope of our work will not change. We will continue to make safe spaces across NYC where kids can express themselves, learn to embrace the radical self-expression of others, and see themselves reflected in literature while promoting a love of learning. We are committed to serving as the most fabulous, accessible example of LGBTQIA+ and TGNCNB representation, support, and affirmation for all young New Yorkers. 

 

     As always, our work is constantly evolving. We continue to broaden our curriculum, offer more creative programming, and are consistently adding new books into our Storyteller rotation, while also holding onto the cherished, dog-eared copies we love. Our Storytellers are routinely trained on best practices and engagement styles by Brooklyn Public Library, and our partnerships are ever-developing, expanding to reach ever-more young people across the city.

 

     We look forward to this moment of real growth with you all! In this time of great national uncertainty, you can be sure to find us in a library, a park, at a school, storytelling and empathizing with our beloved New Yorkers, letting them know that their story is our story. That we are all cut from the same cloth, that their fight is our fight. 

 

     This is what we do – it’s what we’ve always done, and what we will continue to do, even after our makeover. 

 

​                                                                                                                    In community,

 

 

                                                                                                                             Yun Hee Proffit, Executive Director 

 

 

                                                                                                  Allison Marino, President of the Board of Directors

​