San Bernardino Arts Connection announced five recipients of its new grant program, the Arts Innovator Micro-Grant Fund, for individual artists. Grey Forge LeFey from Morongo Valley is our local recipient. Reporter Hilary Sloane has more…
The San Bernardino Arts Innovator Micro-grants are one-time $500 cash awards given to local artists for grass-roots projects. Dramatist Grey Forge LeFey submitted a proposal to vídeo the process of starting up a new chapter of the Drag Queen Story Hour in the Morongo Basin. LeFey says Drag Queen Story Hour, which features men in colorful dress reading to children in schools, libraries, and other public places, is an opportunity to encourage childhood imagination.
LeFey and his husband, artist Khrysso Heart LeFey moved to the Morongo Basin a year and a half ago. As a foster parent and an advocate for individuals with special needs, both Grey and Khrysso celebrate and promote acceptance and equality for all people. Grey said they had found a welcoming and supportive community in the Morongo Basin and, in that spirit, want to give to their new home. They are starting up a local chapter of Drag Queen Story Hour, an internationally recognized organization founded by a literary non-profit and endorsed by the American Library Association. Their primary goal is to encourage a love of reading, unhindered self-expression, and offering a safe place for children to express creativity. The grant will enable LeFey to hire a support team for the project.
LeFey said in a Facebook post, “As you may have gathered, Khrysso and I have been developing a relationship with Drag Queen Story Hour for about the last year. This internationally recognized organization was founded by a literary non-profit and is endorsed by the American Library Association. Their primary goal is to encourage a love of reading, and to encourage imagination, and unhindered self-expression. There is already a chapter in Palm Springs, and the Director of DQSH is delighted to have us introduce the program into the basin.”
The project is in its early stages and work has been postponed due to the current COVID-19 Stay-at-home order. Follow Grey Forge LeFey’s progress of Facebook.
