The African American Research Library and Cultural Center presents the Ashley Bryan Art Series Community Day, a day dedicated to art, creation, and stories.
Award-winning authors and illustrators join forces to inspire young minds at the Ashley Bryan Art Series —a celebration of art and literature for youth. Guided by the theme “Dreams Take Flight Through Art and Literature,” the event features presentations by award-winning authors and illustrators, a high-energy “Rap It Up” poetry workshop, hands-on arts and crafts, sidewalk chalk art, face painting, music by DJ She J Hercules, an interactive puppet show, and creative art and writing workshops. It’s a day of imagination, expression, and fun for the whole family.
Special guests Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffery Boston Weatherford, an award-winning mother and son duo, will inspire attendees with their dynamic blend of storytelling, poetry, and history.
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Keynote Speaker: Carole Boston The daughter of a printer, Carole Boston Weatherford was practically born with ink in her blood. She began writing at age 6 and soon after saw her poems in print. Her 80-plus books have garnered 2 NAACP Image Awards and 18 American Library Association Youth Media Awards, including a Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Award and 4 Caldecott Honors. Kin : Rooted in Hope is a multi-generational family history told in the voices of the author's ancestors, spanning enslavement alongside Frederick Douglass at Maryland's Wye House plantation, service in the U.S. Colored Troops, and the founding of all-Black Reconstruction-era communities. Her career achievements have been recognized with the ALA Children’s Literature Legacy Award, the North Carolina Award for Literature, and the Nonfiction Award from the Children’s Book Guild. The 2024 Young People’s Poet Laureate and a retired HBCU professor, she lives in Baltimore. |
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Keynote Speaker: Jeffery Boston Weatherford Jeffery Boston Weatherford is an award-winning children's book illustrator and a rapper. His latest book, Rap It Up! Was inspired by workshops merging writing and technology. KIN: Rooted in Hope won a Coretta Scott King Honor and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Poetry. His debut book, You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen, was named an ALSC Notable Book and a best book of the year by National Council for the Social Studies and Kirkus Reviews. This book celebrates the story of the Tuskegee Airmen: pioneering African-American pilots who triumphed in the skies and past the color barrier. Jeffery's art has been exhibited in Washington, DC, Georgia, Maryland and North Carolina. Formerly a National Book Foundation teaching artist, he holds an M.F.A. from Howard University where he was a Romare Bearden Scholar. |
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Highlights Include:
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Visual Art Workshop with Yesenia Moises Step inside the mind of a creative force! Yesenia, a celebrated illustrator, toy designer, and children’s book author, leads a vibrant art session that sparks imagination and empowers young artists to dream big. |
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From Idea to Execution: A Crash Course on Following Your Dreams with Tony Weaver Do you have a dream you want to accomplish but no idea how? Look no further! Come to this panel to learn the ins and outs of bridging the gap between your dreams and your reality. |
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"Beautiful Blackbird" Puppet Show & Pop-Up Puppet Making Workshop Bring Ashley Bryan’s beloved story to life with Ms. Edna! Enjoy a lively puppet show and a hands-on workshop where children design their own puppets and puppet stage. |
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Spoken Word Workshop with Frankie Red Discover the power of your voice! Frankie Red guides participants in writing and performing original spoken word pieces that celebrate identity, culture, and creativity. |
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"Rap It Up" Poetry & Rap Workshop with Jeffery Weatherford |
Other exciting offerings:
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Family History Lab with Dr. Rae Looking for your roots? Come and learn how genealogy helps adults and youth understand their place within a larger family narrative, and connects them to a lineage of ancestors and their unique stories. |
My First Library Card Celebration
Special celebration with stories, games, prizes, and super-sized surprises for children in grades K–5 who received their first Broward County Library card between April 1 and September 20, 2025.
Local Authors
Books by featured and local authors will be available for purchase on-site.
This event is sponsored by Helios Education Foundation, South Florida Hunger Coalition, Poetry Foundation, and Friends of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center.
Event Sponsors
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AGE GROUP: | Tweens | Toddlers | Teens | Preschool | New Adults | Kids | Families | Everyone | Babies/Infants | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Workshop | Story Time | Performances - Dance, Concerts & Theater | Discussion/Lecture | Crafting/Makers | Books | Author Events | Arts & Cultural |
| Mon, Sep 22 | 10:00PM to 8:00PM |
| Tue, Sep 23 | 10:00AM to 6:00PM |
| Wed, Sep 24 | 10:00PM to 8:00PM |
| Thu, Sep 25 | 10:00AM to 6:00PM |
| Fri, Sep 26 | 10:00AM to 6:00PM |
| Sat, Sep 27 | 10:00AM to 6:00PM |
| Sun, Sep 28 | Closed |
