Check out summer LGBTQ pop-up book fair

The City of West Hollywood is inviting community members to attend ShopQueer.co and wayOUT’s pop-up book fair events in July 2023 and August 2023 at Plummer Park’s south parking lot, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard.

The Rainbow Book Bus is a joint effort by drag performer Adam Powell and Dr. Eric Cervini, co-founders of ShopQueer.co, and wayOUT, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ youth. The goal of the book bus is to highlight LGBTQ writers and authors while using literature as a transformative tool to educate and inform audiences nationwide.

West Hollywood is among the first stops on the national tour for ShopQueer.co and wayOUT. The pop-up events are scheduled as follows:

• Friday, July 28, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, July 29, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Friday, August 4, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Friday, August 11, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, August 12, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Proceeds from the pop-up events will largely support the wayOUT’s network of LGBTQ centers, offering essential resources to queer communities. These resources include personal and group therapy sessions, housing services, work programs, gender-affirming services, and HIV testing and medication.

ShopQueer.co is an independent bookshop based in Los Angeles, with a focus on sharing and amplifying the voices and stories of LGBTQ writers and authors. The shop aims to bring queer content and literature to a global audience, and they split all profits with the authors they work with. Since its launch in October 2022, ShopQueer.co has sold nearly 10,000 books.

WayOUT, as a nonprofit organization, empowers local organizations and entrepreneurs by advancing programs that support LGBTQ youth across the country. It has five local chapters and has contributed over $1 million to support LGBTQ youth centers on a national level.

The City of West Hollywood has been an influential advocate for LGBTQ issues since its incorporation in 1984. With more than 40 percent of its residents identifying as LGBTQ and four out of five City Council members openly identifying as LGBTQ, West Hollywood has been a leader in pushing for measures to support LGBTQ individuals and promoting equality on state, national, and international levels.

For additional information about the pop-up book fair events, interested individuals can contact Jasmine Duckworth, the City of West Hollywood Community Programs Coordinator, at (323) 848-6559 or [email protected]. For those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, a TTY line is available at (323) 848-6496. To stay updated on City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and check out the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. City Hall services can be accessed by phone at (323) 848-6400 or through the website at www.weho.org. Additionally, the City offers a text message pilot program; those interested can sign up by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.