Culture Queen Announces Book Release Party For Kids And Families

Hot off the presses! Award-winning performer and teaching artist Culture Queen brings her empowering, one-of-a-kind brand of affirmative entertainment to her first picture book, I Like the Me I See! In celebration, Culture Queen is giving a Book Release Party for kids and families on Sunday, September 29 at 2:00 p.m. at Prince George's African American Museum & Cultural Center, 4519 Rhode Island Ave., North Brentwood, MD.

The program will include Culture Queen reading I Like the Me I See! and performing the song upon on which the book is based. Culture Queen will show the I Like the Me I See! video, and there'll even be a celebratory cupcake toast! Following the program, Culture Queen will sign books and CDs.

Inspired by the uplifting lyrics of Culture Queen's popular song "I Like the Me I See!" from her album by the same title, the rhythmical text in I Like the Me I See! accompanies vibrant images of Culture Queen and her "royal children" celebrating all the qualities that make them who they are. With a focus on body positivity and self-affirmation, they proudly proclaim their African American cultural identity through phrases packed with meaning: "I like my skin, I feel comfortable within." "Though we're different from one another, I won't compare myself to others." "I like the me I see, so I'll stick to being me."

Solomia Kovalchuk's rich, colorful illustrations were inspired by photos of ten years' worth of real-life interactions between Culture Queen and her "Culture Kingdom Kids" at the classes she has taught and shows she has performed. The background of each page is filled with Adinkra symbols from Ghana, West Africa, a beautiful synthesis of artistic expression and a complete sense of being.

"I'm excited to finally release my first children's book, I Like The Me I See!, which features illustrations of some of my favorite moments with my Culture Kingdom kids," says Culture Queen. "It's my hope that children who read this book will feel inspired to discover what they love about themselves and that this journey of self-love will be one that is never-ending."

I Like the Me I See! will be available at Amazon.com, Culture Queen's website, and at Culture Queen's performances and appearances.