Our Goal: Let’s distribute 3,000 books this summer.

As a wave of anti-trans legislation sweeps the country, queer people are seeing their identities erased.

Books are being removed from shelves. Pride flags are coming down from porches. People are talking less about who they are. This lack of visibility constitutes a crisis for a generation of queer people absorbing toxic messages about ourselves. So to mark Pride this year, let’s plan to spread visibility by distributing copies of The Family Outing as broadly as possible.

We’re going on a Little Free Library Road Trip!

Every June, my wife and I and our two kids road trip from Brooklyn to Florida, and then on to Mississippi, where we spend our summer. It’s a multi-day odyssey that takes us through ten states, many of which are reviewing legislation that is increasingly hostile to trans people—especially youth. This year, we plan to stop off in small towns along the way and leave copies of The Family Outing in as many Little Free Libraries as we can track down. You can follow our adventure on Instagram. And, you can leave copies of the book in your own Little Free Libraries and tell us about them here.

We want to give books away.

If you identify as a librarian, an educator or an activist, we’d like to send you a copy of the book. Our hope is that you will pass it along after you’ve finished. Give it to someone you love. Leave it in a local Starbucks. Make it available for someone else to find. You can request your copy via this confidential form, and we will mail the book in an unmarked package.

3 Ways You Can Help

  • Join our team of Givers

    If you’e been moved by the book, you can sponsor a copy to share with others. Join us here. We’ll direct the funds to Rakestraw Books, an independent bookseller in Danville, Ca. I’ll personally oversee the distribution.

  • Request the book

    If you are an educator, a librarian or an activist working on behalf of queer people in your community, we want to send you a book. Get the book here. Once you read it, please leave it for others to find.

  • Spread the word

    Share the project on social media (#TheFamilyOuting) or through email. Did you plant a book in a Little Free Library or have a picture you would like to share? Post a photo of it on social media (#TheFamilyOuting) or email it to me so I can share. Tag me at @jessiwrites in your Instagram posts.

Thank you gifters & planters!

Jessi Hempel + Frances Clayton + Kyle Ranson-Walsh + Sarah & matt Storm + Nancy Chiller Janow + Kathy Howe + dave pond + lauren young + ANONYMOUS1 + james moed & damien hughes + kirk wheeler + morra aarons-mele + Ashley & Jack Reed + the michaelis family + david hornik + LISEN STROMBERG + HEIDI & DAMON LINDELOF + CHRISTINA H. + FRAN HAUSER +TRINA STORFER + Anonymous2 + iris M. + Anonymous 3 + Erica C. + Anonymous4 + Rachel Sklar + Leigh gallaghar + dave & gina Pell + samantha G. + Ashley R. + Anonymous5 + Anonymous6 + Liz D. + Samantha Tomaszewski + Andrew S. + Anonymous7 + maggie Thomas + Michael Welt + CYnthia borgen + Paul Hempel + Daniel Smith + Pride resource center of north mississippi + martha wotring + The Landry Pasqua Family + kyle J.+ Meg Dennison + Lear D. + cindy M. + Erin Hennessey & Michael Tierney + Nesa K. Johnson + Sarah s. + Sarah Taylor & Matt Dunne + ashley r. + jess lara + amy o’donnell + hady m. + sarah hempel + kathleen McGough + erin w. + nicole T. + david c. + Jennie Rothenberg + emily allen + Stephen M. + bev lindsey + diana hilts + bonnie eckard + pauly thomas + chance van sciver + cara baldwin + william swigart + margi conrads + blythe y. + jan haag + deboer manon + karen E. + Jennifer W. + Lee Eddy + ronnae F. + mary b. + marisa Pierucci + phil thompson + Lisa Beaird + sarah deacon + kathie graham + Colleen H. + rahelle b. + Shelly tarin + victoria M. + Melissa Mulvaney + Neighborhood Trolley Little Free Library + Summer Crossing Little free library + Mai L. + alexandra posen + anonymous8 + amy o’donnell + kirk forrester + caroline & matt brigham + Jason tanz + anonymous9 + sarah piel & douglas McAlinden + drew o. + ruth ann harnish + Gina glantz + Janet Hardy + Bibi miller + George Schweiter & Kate Kelly + anonymous10 + Clare B. + Muriel Wilkins + Callie Schweitzer + Michele Ragon + Beth K. + Sarah Borch-Jacobson +Tafford judd + family proclamations podcast + Lindsay Harrison & Jonna Hamilton + Donna A. + Eryn A. + Megan Miller + meg weber + Jackie Vanerp + vinluan family + Anonymous11 + Therem barnett + anonymous12 + ashley and emily sobel + Lindsay harrison + carr family + anonymous13 + Anonymous14 + Paul Fiszman + Katy Chantal + Jeremy Herndon & Harry Clifton + Jason S. + Susan Berfield + Jeff Berman + Alisa W. + Lauri Soong + Susan Grover + Damien F. + Chioma Duru + Ann shoket + Michael Nussbaum + Susan S. + Cynthia Starr + Pat Roque + Carla + Joshua Schmied + Mary & Dina +Thom Geraghty + Renee Edelman + Kim Burns + Rachel k.

Special thanks to Rakestraw Books in Danville, CA for supporting our efforts with free shipping….

Follow along

@jessiwrites

View fullsize Camille is 3! She is a mighty force in a tiny form, able to do (almost) anything “all by myself!” She owns the playground, and has shown early executive leadership skills in her ability to direct her moms and brother. If you are missing y
View fullsize Mom, with her two older sisters and the first of a line of shaggy black dogs named Inky. (Inky 1 was always preferable to Inky 2)
View fullsize Flaco died. Jude has been low key obsessed with Flaco since the fall when his kindergarten first reviewed the owl’s escape and subsequent adventures. He was dismayed to learn about Flaco’s death and asked me to take his card to a tree in
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learn more & do more:

Support The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQIA+ youth. Check out their guide on how to be an ally for transgender and nonbinary young people.

Learn about the rise of anti-trans bills right here. Find out what bills have been introduced where you live.