2023 Queens Community Arts Grant Recipient

Kelly Jean

MORE grant news: I’m a 2023 QUEENS COMMUNITY ARTS GRANT recipient.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate No, YOU Tell It!’s 11-year anniversary than with our FIRST GRANT from Flushing Town Hall!!

Check out the full list of 2023 Queens Community Arts Grant recipients HERE.

This 2023 Community Arts Grant
– supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall provides support to Queens-based community organizations, groups, and collectives to hold arts and cultural projects or activities for the public in Queens

Sparked a No, YOU Tell It! FIRST: Our partnership with the Greater Astoria Historical Society. 

For our May 18th show ($10 tickets here!), we dove into the GAHS archives and, with storyteller Rosalie Chandler, created four Queens “Here & Gone” Highlights. 

Astoria-based artist, Yelena Tylkina, illustrated the highlights in the gorgeous artwork above. More about Yelena here.

I incorporated the artwork and highlights into a generative workshop where our storytellers engaged with Queens history to inspire their true tales. 

Get in on the Queens “Here & Gone” fun! Visit noyoutellit.com to learn about:

Share your favorite Queens “Here & Gone” Highlight with a friend (or your whole network).

See you at Grove 43 on May 18th for No, YOU Tell It! “Here & Gone”!

Corona Chronicle Available!

Kelly Jean

I’m honored to be part of the limited first edition of the first publication from Ellipsis Rare books, The Corona Chronicle: Essays For New York, a charitable anthology collecting the insights, observations, and reflections of New Yorkers living through the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.

On sale for the first time this weekend at the Manhattan Antique Book and Ephemera Fair, this anthology is the end result of the late 2020 essay contest, where my entry, “My Timeline Stops March 10, 2020” was awarded second place.

Limited to 150 copies, each first edition of The Corona Chronicle anthology is hand numbered by project editor and Ellipsis Rare Books proprietor, Andrew Lenoir, who also offers a short contextual forward. The book was also designed by and features original artwork from Charlotte Anderson.

50% of all proceeds benefit the Food Bank For New York City, provider of 121 million free meals per year to New Yorkers in need.

2023 Queens Art Fund Recipient

Kelly Jean

I’m excited to announce that I’m a 2023 Queens Arts Fund recipient!

This project-based grant will enable No, YOU Tell It! to bring two new switched-up storytelling shows in partnership with the Greater Astoria Historical Society to Grove 34 in Astoria, first up on May 18th (get your tickets here!) and then as a proposed Brooklyn Book Festival Bookend Event in the fall.

Thank you to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs for helping to support this work!

Click here for the full 2023 Queens Arts Fund award announcement.

Be sure to follow #QAF2023 for details on when and where you can experience the arts in Queens this calendar year!

Symphony Space Success

Kelly Jean

No, YOU Tell It! is a treasure of a show. You have to witness it to really get how special it is. Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons assembled a team that puts so much heart and soul into guiding storytellers of different ages, races, genders, and backgrounds to swap stories, so that the performers are in each other’s shoes, as the saying goes. The result is hilarious and heartwarming, but also, such a profound experiment in fostering empathy. Everyone in the room, storytellers, show producers, and audience members, have an unforgettably moving evening of entertainment together, and that special sort of connecting of people going on in the show really is something to be cherished.

Kevin Allison, RISK!
Story partners Kevin Allison and Najah Imani Muhammad. 
Photo credit: Russ Rowland

What an incredible night at Symphony Space last week! We’re still on Cloud 9 and couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who made the night a success by attending in person, via the livestream, and/or donating. Check out more “College Try” photos on Facebook or Instagram.

Hey, while you’re there, why not LIKE or FOLLOW?

Special shout out to all who helped us provide free student tickets to high school juniors. We had a wonderful pre-show college essay jumpstart workshop, and the students loved the show!! 

Plus, we raised $500 during our story trivia in support of Bottom Line.

Want to help No, YOU Tell It! provide more opportunities for future storytellers and students? Click here to make a tax-deductible donation.

What’s next? I’m so glad you asked. SAVE THE DATES:

I can’t think of a better way to kick off our 11th year!

Thank you again from myself and the NYTI Creative Team.

Pre-Show College Essay Workshop Available!

Kelly Jean

Have or know students starting the college application process? Entertainers and educators trading true tales is an excellent way to encourage students to think about the story they want to tell with their college essays.

Students attending our “College Try” show at Symphony Space can sign up for a pre-show workshop to jumpstart ideas for a college essay that opens a window into their unique character for admissions officers.

Contact noyoutellit@gmail.com for more info and to register. Ask me about our discount code for student tickets!

Corona Chronicle

Kelly Jean

Honored to have my essay “My Timeline Stops March 10, 2020” in The Corona Chronicle, a charitable anthology capturing insights, emotions, and observations of real New Yorkers during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.

Limited to 150 copies, the first edition is available for pre-order here, and 50% of all proceeds benefit the Food Bank For New York City, provider of 121 million free meals per year to New Yorkers in need.

Black book cover with silver imprint of The Statue of Liberty

The anthology is a result of Ellipsis Rare Books 2020 essay contest. The top 10 entries selected are presented in a thematic order aimed to reflect a unique and ephemeral time in New York City’s history and include original writing from Hannah Berger, Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons, Gulshan Ashaque, Brahna Yassky, Robert Salzman, Tim Eberle, Seema Bajaria, Megan McNeary, Zoe Valery, and Alexander Cavaluzzo.

Limited to 150 copies, each first edition of The Corona Chronicle anthology is hand numbered by project editor and Ellipsis Rare Books proprietor, Andrew Lenoir, who also offers a short contextual forward. The book was also designed by and features original artwork from Charlotte Anderson.

College Essay Workshop at Symphony Space!

Kelly Jean

I’m proud to share our storytellers for next month’s No, YOU Tell It! “College Try” show at Symphony Space. Great for educators and students!

I’m also teaching a pre-show college essay jumpstart workshop open to any student attending the show, and we might have a discount code … email noyoutellit@gmail.com for more.

Interested in having me come to your school for a talkback session or college essay workshops after the show? I’d love to set up a time to chat.

The night features Kevin Allison (RISK!), Brett Felder (College Board), Dion Flynn (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon), and Najah Imani Muhammad (Leaders by Choice).

https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/no-you-tell-it-college-try

Entertainers and educators have developed true tales inspired by the theme “College Try” on the page. Watch as they swap stories to embody each other’s culture, identity, and life experience on stage. This illustration of the power of personal narrative is a marvelous way to get high school students thinking about the story they want to tell with their college application essays.

Plus, students can sign up for a pre-show workshop with producers and college essay writing instructors Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons and Tim Lindner to jumpstart a college essay that will wow admissions officers. Space is limited! Contact noyoutellit@gmail.com for more info and to register. 

Follow @noyoutellit on Instagram for updates and to learn more about our storytellers and creative team.