Writer, Educator, and Storyteller
On Saturday, I was proud to co-lead this unique storytelling and portrait-trading workshop for our upcoming No, YOU Tell It! “Left My Heart” show. Read more here.
Looking for a creative writing or team-building event for your school or organization? Contact me at kjfitzsimmons@gmail.com.
It was an honor to read alongside Mary Lannon, Nicole Haroutunian, Aida Zilelian-Silak, and Emily Alta Hockaday!! Thank you to all who came out to Book Culture LIC.
Book Culture LIC is having a 20% off sale all weekend, including the No, You Tell It! anthology. Support Queens authors!
Happy 12-Year Anniversary to No, YOU Tell It! We’re so grateful to celebrate this milestone. Take a look at these highlights of our evolution over the years.
Learn more, donate, and grab tickets for our upcoming events at noyoutellit.com. Cheers to 12 years, and thank you always for your stories and support.
I’m honored to be on this panel with Aida Zilelian, Mary Lannon, Emily Hockaday, and Nicole Haroutunian at Book Culture LIC on May 9 at 6 pm!
The event is free, but you can register here.
Thank you to Flushing Town Hall for awarding No, YOU Tell It! a Queens Community Arts Grant as part of the Statewide Community Regrants program funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA)!
This funding will support two special 2024 Queens shows produced in partnership with the Greater Astoria Historical Society.
Full list of grantees and more info at noyoutellit.com!
Mark your calendars for these Queens community events and No, YOU Tell It! show.
Register for the FREE Queens & Me: Personal Writing Workshop on April 17th (6:30-8 pm) at The Astoria Bookshop today. Only 3 spots left!
Save the dates for our 5/11 ART HEART community event and 6/5 No, YOU Tell It! “Left My Heart” show. More info soon! Follow NYTI on FB and Insta for updates.
Want to explore writing personal essays? Interested in learning more about Queens’ history? Do both!
Join our own Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons on April 17th (6:30-8 pm) at The Astoria Bookshop for a FREE workshop inspired by our May 2023 No, YOU Tell It! “Here & Gone” show. Space is limited. Click here to reserve your spot today.
Engage with this stunning piece by Astoria-based artist Yelena Tylkina depicting history highlights – Westinghouse Time Capsule, North Beach, Astoria Pool Sentinels, and The First Photocopy – from the Greater Astoria Historical Society archives, and tell your story!
Get the Queens “Here & Gone” image and view more of Yelena’s artwork via Fine Art America.
Copies of the No, YOU Tell It! Ten-Year Anthology will be available at the workshop.
Last night’s Sip & Scribe at Sunnyside Arts sold out (!!!) and I am honored to be in such excellent company at the Astoria Bookshop. Visit the bookshop or grab your copy here.
Blessed to be part of the Queens Community and wish everyone headed to #AWP24 the best! Save our next Sip & Scribe date: Friday, March 1st at 7 pm.
Join us at Sunnyside Arts on 2/2 at 7 pm for the first Sip & Scribe of 2024.
Push away from the keyboard and put pen to paper at this fun Friday night of guided writing prompts and story swaps.
Plus, this month, I’m donating my proceeds toward World Central Kitchen’s work in Gaza in support of their Field Kitchen in the city of Rafah.
See you soon at Sunnyside Arts. Five spots left! Register here to grab yours today.
My mother and I have spent hours making ornaments, coloring holiday pictures, and decorating gingerbread people during her two weeks in the rehabilitation center. But does that mother-daughter time count if she doesn’t remember it?
Published in ENGAGE on Medium
Happy New Year to all.
My essay “A Holiday Stroke” captures a small part of my mother’s stroke and our December together. Blessed to have spent this difficult time with my family.
You can access it through my friend link HERE if you aren’t a Medium member.
Wishing you the best for 2024 and beyond.