The Book Bike's First Pride! 🏳️⚧️🏳🌈
Today marks the start of the Nonbinarian Book Bike’s first Pride distribution month and we are honored to continue working with our community to distribute free LGBTQIA+ books for all ages throughout Brooklyn.
As a trans- and queer-led mobile mutual aid initiative actively combating book bans, library closures, and other legislation aimed at degrading, dehumanizing, and ultimately eradicating marginalized people, we firmly believe that Pride was and is a riot. Pride was and is a revolution. And Pride was and is a tool for dismantling oppressive and genocidal systems.
We believe in solidarity, not charity. We take care of us. Never is that truer than when people rise together and demand better of our governments, our universities, our public institutions, and our community leaders. We owe each other endurance. As we celebrate Pride this month, let’s not forget what and whom we’re fighting for or what’s at stake if we allow ourselves to be lulled into complacency with rainbow capitalism and pinkwashing.
— Samantha Puc, Newsletter Editor & Book Club Coordinator
On the last Sunday of each month from June until September, the Nonbinarian Book Bike will hit the beach for our Riis Read-In series, a returning favorite from last year. If you haven’t been before, Riis Read-In community meet-up events are a welcoming space for everyone! You can come solo or with friends and read silently or connect with new people. We ask that attendees bring their own books and beach gear, respect other people’s boundaries and social preferences, and please ask for consent before taking photos for social media!
If you’re not sure what book to bring for our Pride Riis Read-In on Sunday, June 30, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! Bookshop.org is holding its annual Pride Month sale and we’ve put together some recommendations in the links below.
Shopping with Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores and the Nonbinarian Book Bike! If you prefer to listen to audiobooks, consider getting yours through Libro.fm, which also supports independent bookstores and the Nonbinarian Book Bike! Everyone wins when you shop small!
It’s summertime and our Pride Month calendar is packed! In addition to relaunching our summer Riis Read-In series, the Nonbinarian Book Bike has a busy virtual schedule and we’ll be co-hosting events and hosting multiple pop-ups around Brooklyn in June.
Here's where we'll be during Pride Month, weather permitting (all times EST; 💻 = virtual, 🚲 = in-person). 🏳️⚧️🏳🌈
💻 Queer Cheer Author Event: Monday, June 3 at 8 p.m., Instagram
💻 Giveaway with Little Bee Books: Ends Tuesday, June 4 at 12 p.m., Instagram
🚲 The Reading Line’s Book Ride: Saturday, June 6 at 3:30 p.m., Red Hook
🚲 Black Queer Book Fair co-hosted with The Reading 4 Black Lives Project & Kevwe, Your Neighborly Lesbian: Sunday, June 2 from 2 p.m.—4 p.m., Herbert von King Ampitheater
🚲 Queer Witch: Pride at Beer Witch: Thursday, June 6 from 6 p.m.—8 p.m., Park Slope
🚲 Brooklyn Pride Festival: Saturday, June 8 from 11 a.m.—5 p.m., Union St to 9th St on 5th Ave
🚲 Pride in Bed-Stuy Mutual Aid Fair co-hosted with Fearless Queers: Sunday, June 9 from 11 a.m.—3 p.m., Herbert von King Park
* Featuring: Book distribution from the Nonbinarian Book Bike and Reading 4 Black Lives; self-defense demos from Fearless Queers; a capoeira intro class and community roda from Capoeira Angola Quintal; Trans formative Schools; The People's Forum; story time; name change clinic; harm reduction/safer sex/PPE supply distribution; and more!
🚲 Brower Park Pop-Up & Skating Meet-Up: Partner Event with Little Bee Books: Saturday, June 15 from 1 p.m.—3 p.m., Crown Heights
🚲 Herbert von King Park Pop-Up: Sunday, June 16 from 12 p.m.—2 p.m., Bed-Stuy
💻 Tandem Talk with Emma Copley Eisenberg: Monday, June 17 at 12 p.m., Instagram
💻 Tandem Talk with Hannah Oliver Depp: Thursday, June 20 at 12:30 p.m., Instagram
🚲 Bed-Stuy Strong’s Summer Party: Sunday, June 23 from 2 p.m.—4 p.m., Bed-Stuy
💻 The Nonbinarian Book Club: Friday, June 28 at 8 p.m., Zoom
Want to go on a road trip? Our pick for this month’s book club is Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg! Tune in to our Instagram on Monday, June 17 at 12 p.m. for a Tandem Talk with Eisenberg, then join us at the end of the month to talk about her latest novel.
The Nonbinarian Book Club is partnered with Bluestockings Cooperative. You can purchase this month's Nonbinarian Book Club book at Bluestockings to support their mission and ours! Click here to order online and use code BOOKBIKE for 15% off at checkout.
The Nonbinarian Book Bike is partnered with the following independent bookstores! Books purchased from our wishlists will be donated directly to the bike for free distribution.
The Nonbinarian Book Bike is also proud to partner with the following organizations for our community reading events! Please check out their mission statements and support them however possible.
🌠 Reading 4 Black Lives Project
Finally, The Nonbinarian Book Bike is partnered with Trans formative Schools, "a progressive education community centering trans joy and social justice." The organization aims to uplift trans children and educators, as well as families "touched by transness," through the implementation of a free afterschool program for ages 9-15. Trans formative Schools' dream is to create a liberal middle school that employs rigorous academics, identity exploration, and more.
All books purchased from this Bookshop wishlist will go directly to Trans formative Schools. The Nonbinarian Book Bike receives a portion of each purchase, which helps us pay for storage, bike maintenance and upkeep, and more. By purchasing from this list, you directly support two trans-led organizations and support indie bookstores through Bookshop.org.
If you'd like to partner with us for an event or sponsorship, please reach out via e-mail! In addition to subscribing to our newsletter, following us on social media, and participating in events, you can also support the Book Bike in the following ways:
📚 Donate a book (or books) to the Book Bike!
📚 Donate funds to help upkeep costs like storage and bike maintenance! You can make a one-time donation or set up a monthly one on Ko-Fi, or you can donate via Venmo.
📚 Buy a book from our wishlist!
📚 Buy a book through our Bookshop storefront!
📚 Support us with a Libro.fm subscription!
📚 Buy Nonbinarian merch!
To get involved in our virtual or physical programming, please DM @nonbinarianbike on IG or email info@thenonbinarian.gay!
Thank you to the Nonbinarian community for always showing up and showing out! It has been a joy to meet you at pop-ups, interact with you on social media, and get to know the Brooklyn community and its various neighborhoods.
We’re thrilled to have already distributed more than 300 free LGBTQIA+ books in 2024! That’s more than half of what we distributed in our entire 2023 season. 😲 Let’s keep it going!
Want to contribute to the Nonbinarian Newsletter?
If you want to submit something to the newsletter, including events, mutual aid needs, book recs, or ideas you'd like to see us include, please email us at newsletter@thenonbinarian.gay.
Thank you for supporting the Nonbinarian Book Bike! Look for our next newsletter on the 1st of the month. In the meantime, follow us on social media for daily updates.