First established in the late 1920s, a toyery was a lending library for toys. Our abolitionist toyery on August 10 at Bluestockings in NYC is an all-ages anti-fascist event that centers play and imagination. It was conceived by Mariame Kaba and benefits from the great ideas of others.
There will be toys, games to play, coloring to do, zines to make, candy and other treats.
The abolitionist toyery will also feature an Abolitionist Community Installation created by 2nd graders. The installation represents the work of a 5-month-long collective visioning and community building project with 65 seven- and eight-year-old students within the visual arts classroom of a NYC school. Inspired by the children’s books Abolition is Love by Syrus Marcus Ware and Alannah Fricker and Prisons Must Fall by Mariame Kaba, Jane Ball, and Olly Costello and visual artist Bodys Isek Kingelez, 2nd grade students envisioned, designed, and constructed an imagined abolitionist community.
Throughout this project, students engaged in transformative conversations that prompted them to think about socialized beliefs like “prisons keep us safe” alongside core values like “all people deserve freedom.” As they grappled with a shifting perspective, they created, with each other, a community of spaces where prisons didn’t need to exist and all people could feel safe, respected, and free. Through the portal of abolition, this project demonstrates how 2nd grade artists have threaded together critical consciousness of the past and present with visionary thinking for the future to dream up a world with love at the center.
People aged 5 and up are welcome at the Abolitionist Toyery. If you bring younger people, please be mindful to keep an eye on them so they are not hurt in the space.
Drop by between 1 and 6 PM. Candy and treats are available while supplies last. We’re also collecting gently used and new books for Bluestockings. Learn more here.
Finally, we are seeking volunteers to help in various ways, please email niapoetry@gmail.com if you’d like to help:
Set up and/or clean up
Story time: reading abolitionist themed stories at the event
Puppet time: Are you a puppeteer who would like to share your talents?
Zines: Would you be open to helping people make zines?
Face painting: bring your skills if you would like
Candy/treat station volunteer [just like it sounds]
Toy/Game Elf [basically you’ll be supervising and assisting in the play areas]
Floaters: help as needed