TELL is an evening of story telling from the mouths and minds of queers in NYC hosted by Drae Campbell at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division since February 2014.

My Rainbow is the theme of the 86th TELL, guest-hosted by Darlinda Just Darlinda. Storytellers: Lyssette, Klondyke, and Nadia Iqbal.

The event will also be live-streamed at youtube.com/@bgsqd

Suggested donation of $10 to benefit the Bureau and the storytellers.

We will pass a bag at the start of the event. Donations by card can be made at the register or via Venmo @bgsqd with TELL 86 in the message. Thank you for supporting the Bureau and TELL!

All are welcome to join, with or without a donation.

Coined “Mastermind of Bizarre Extravaganza” by The Village Voice, Darlinda Just Darlinda has been working as an International Performance Artist and Burlesque Performer since 2004. Darlinda is the Creator of the Year in Rainbow. Darlinda has produced shows The New York Times calls “shockingly explicit.” Darlinda has also performed Off Broadway in Year in Rainbow LIVE (Joe’s Pub 2022), One Woman Rainbow (Joe’s Pub 2019) and with Taylor Mac in The Lily’s Revenge (Obie 2009) & 24 Decades of Popular Music (Macarthur Award 2016). USA Today says “It’s hard to top Darlinda.” darlindajustdarlinda.com

Lyssette is a black queer, artist, activist, and filmmaker. As a former homeless youth and graduate of the Reciprocity Foundation, Lyssette developed a love for yoga and meditation. She credits her first acupuncture treatment as the first time she felt “at home in her body”.  Armed with new tools, Lyssette spoke out on the many ways trauma manifests in black and brown LGBTQ homeless youth. Acupuncture treatments, yoga and mental health services have been supportive in speaking and finding the courage to heal. 

Inspired by the works of Audre Lorde, Lyssette strives to make self care and healing accessible to those in need and reduce barriers  to healing.

Lyssette’s activism has led to many creative endeavors including an Emmy nominated short documentary about the myths and causes related to youth homelessness. They were also named one of the ‘Top Forty Under 40’ by The Advocate magazine and their work was featured on the cover of Gay City News. 

Lyssette says, “By prioritizing my healing and my truth I give permission for others to commit to their healing  journey and show up authentically.

Klondyke is an alien tragg*t superstar!!! Child of a black hole and a supernova, raised by a 4th dimensional rockstar. Experimental musical theatre composer, Haus of Quench Member, and winner of Cakeboys 2021 Takes the Cake Competition they are here to terrorize norms out of existence through the great unifier: MUUUUSIIIIIC!

Nadia Iqbal is a writer, actress and comedian based in Brooklyn, NY. She is a certified cat lady and an official citizen oral historian for the 1947 partition archive. She is still very mad about colonialism.