Drag Story Hour NYC &

Brooklyn Public Library

2024 Book Festival​​

Equity and Access:

A Celebration of Visibility in Children’s Literature​

As a lead-in to Banned Books Week, Drag Story Hour NYC and Brooklyn Public Library are excited to welcome families to an inclusive event where participants will hear Drag Story Hour storytellers reading some of their favorite books, and engage in creative activities celebrating diversity and visibility. Together we aim to build a read-rich community where our participants and storytellers develop agency and feel safe to express their truest selves. Please join DSH NYC and the BPL in this celebration of visibility!

The day’s activities include:

• Storytime with Drag Story Hour NYC 

• Meeting with community partners

• Arts activities

• Panel Discussion on Gender equity

• Makeup and Hair Demos

• Vendors

When: Saturday, September 21st

           Doors open at 12 noon
Where: Brooklyn Public Library Central Library
            10 Grand Army Plaza
            Brooklyn, NY 11238

To Attend: Register HERE on the Brooklyn Public Library website 

Featured Vendors:

Prince Peacock
Nonbinarian Book Librarian
Transformative Schools


Event Schedule:

12:00 PM - Doors Open with Drag Storyteller Meet & Greet

​

12:20 PM - Welcoming Ceremony 

 

12:30 PM - Drag Story Hour NYC Performance by Storytellers Oliver the Place and Double! They'll be formally announcing our name change from "Drag Queen Story Hour NYC" to "Drag Story Hour NYC"! 

12:45 PM - Drag Story Hour Reading with Flame & Drag Makeup Demo with Bella Noche

1:10 PM - Gender Equity Within ART, LITERACY and DRAG
A conversation featuring Drag Story Hour NYC storytellers and fellow educators, exploring how banning books is detrimental to the personal development of young people, the importance of inclusion in literacy and how drag can be a bridge to increased visibility in both art and literature.
​

Moderator: 

Frankie Dascola (they/them)

Social Emotional Learning Lead, I .S. 93

Frankie is a NYC DOE Teacher, pushing students to express themselves through music and the arts, while also working to enrich marginalized communities and uplift students through music and community service.​

​

Panelists: 

Dr. Shamari Reid (he/him)

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Teaching and Learning, NYU

Dr. Reid’s work explores how Black, trans and queer youth and their communities sustain themselves amidst oppression, as well as how we can collaborate with these communities to better transform schools into sites of equitable opportunities for Black LGBTQ+ youth. 

​

Oliver the Place (he/they)

DSH NYC Storyteller & Educator

Oliver is a non-binary, trans masc Puerto Rican drag king from NY. Formerly a day care teacher, they have a passion for working with children and education about what it means to be queer and, using color and strong shapes to push the boundaries of masculine and feminine. 

​

Laleña Garcia (she/her)  

Director of Community Liberation, Transformative Schools

A NYC Educator since 2000, Laleña now teaches kindergarten at Manhattan Country School, a progressive independent school: helping young children think about big questions like  "What is equity?" "How do we take care of each other?" and "What do people need?"

​

Miz Jade (they/them)

DSH NYC Storyteller 

A Black-Trans Gender Fluid Drag performer, professional dancer and a proud reader for Drag Story Hour NYC, inspiring children with her fabulousness and promoting a message of inclusivity and diversity.

1:30PM - Wig Workshop with Flame Hair

2:15PM - Drag Story Hour Reading with Miz Jade & Makeup Demo with Bella Noche

3:00 PM - Queer Author Talk with Laleña Garcia

 

3:50 PM - Closing Ceremony
​

​

If you'd like to become a sponsor for our event or for more information, please reach out to Yun-Hee Proffit

(Executive Director, Drag Story Hour NYC) 

yun-hee@dshnyc.org