Community Connections
Carylee Carrington, a single mother, entrepreneur and literacy advocate, is the founder of R.E.A.D. with Carylee (RwC), a nonprofit that promotes diverse children’s books, Washington Parent talked to her as she was preparing for the organization’s Children’s Book Expo in late September, just one of the many ways Carrington works to diversify literature in the DMV and beyond.
After moving from New York City to Northern Virginia in 2009, Carrington found not only a great place to raise her kids but also a new opportunity to make an impact. Her eldest son, Bradley, now 12, inspired her first book in 2018 and currently takes pride in being the CFO of RwC. Meanwhile, her 9-year-old son, Arden, serves as her “manager,” learning the ins and outs of the business.
Balancing Hats and Tutus
Carrington manages to juggle multiple responsibilities while maintaining balance. Her weekdays, filled with remote work, are relatively calm compared to her action-packed weekends when she steps into her “Tutu Queen” role to visit schools. “Being able to put on a tutu and meet with kids and inspire them – that’s it,” she says. “It really makes the weekend go by faster.”
Carrington is also an at-large board member for Reading is Fundamental (RIF) in Northern Virginia. As one of the youngest board members and the only one with children in the elementary school system, she brings a fresh perspective. A Black woman who grew up as a RIF participant herself, Carrington knows firsthand the importance of diverse authors visiting schools. She brings this mission into her role with RIF, often visiting schools herself, connecting local authors with students and advocating for diverse voices in children’s literature.
Bringing Diversity to School Visits
“Kids want to see someone like them,” she says. Her book Maya Sings Country often sparks curiosity in children who are intrigued by stories that reflect their own lives. Pretty Hair talks about a little girl and the amazing variety of styles and textures of hair – with no standard definition of “pretty.” Carrington’s passion for inspiring children to read books that reflect their experiences is evident. “They want to know why you wrote the book and that you cared about writing it for them,” she says.
Her school visits, often to lower-income schools, highlight the need for diverse authors. She says that most children’s authors are white, and writing from a different life perspective. “When I show up in a tutu with my blonde hair, it’s mind-blowing for them,” Carrington says. She’s found that kids gravitate toward stories that give them an escape and open their imaginations.
A Growing Team and Mission
Carrington’s mission is supported by her small team. One board member, based in New York, helps with outreach and virtual author visits, while another is based in Virginia, assisting with community engagement and logistics. But as the demand for R.E.A.D. with Carylee grows, Carrington knows she will need more team members to support the nonprofit’s expansion.
At the heart of her mission are the authors she features in her Meet the Author series. Two, in particular, have made a lasting impact on her. Amber Ivey, author of AI… Meets… AI teaches children about artificial intelligence – something that Carrington finds timely and important. Cameron Johnson, author of My Popz and the Lessons He Taught Me, explores the emotional bond between fathers and sons, a narrative Carrington believes is crucial for young boys, especially those without father figures.
Building Community and Expanding the Mission
Carrington’s RwC author registry is another key initiative. It allows schools and communities to find local authors for affordable school visits, helping bridge the gap left by expensive author events from large publishing houses. “Unless you’re Bill Gates, you can’t just call up Scholastic and get an author to read at your kid’s birthday party,” she jokes. But through her registry, she hopes to create stronger community connections between local authors, students and educators.
Her YouTube show, which will relaunch in 2025, focuses on connecting with children, teachers and parents; it has both local DMV and global flavor. Meanwhile, Instagram has become Carrington’s platform for connecting with fellow authors. “Authors can get inspiration from me,” she says, emphasizing that her background in marketing allows her to promote other authors more than herself.
Carrington is expanding her blog and creating content to help authors find their voice and connect with readers. The Tutu Queen persona, which she has separated as a brand from R.E.A.D. with Carylee, continues to evolve. “Once the tutu goes on, it’s just like, okay. Here I am. Let’s go,” she says, laughing.
What began as a personal project to write a children’s book has grown into a full-blown nonprofit. For Carrington, it’s about much more than books. It’s about inspiring the next generation, one story at a time.
Amy Nguyen is a former Washington Parent intern and loved visiting the Germantown and Gaithersburg public libraries in MoCo during her childhood. Currently, they’re a university student studying marketing and screen studies.
Carylee Carrington’s new book You Name It, Gram Made It: A Thanksgiving Story of Family and Love is out just in time for the November holiday.
