A costume-filled fundraiser on the first Saturday in November to raise money in an effort to get Rhode Island kids reading.
The non-profit organization called Heroes Read will hold its first-annual
Fandom & Fables: Heroes Read Cosplay Ball. It will take place at Machines with Magnets, 400 Main St, Pawtucket, beginning at 7:00 PM. Attendees may either dress as their favorite character or come as themselves.
This event runs in conjunction with the annual RI Comic Con weekend, held at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence.
Event Organizer Shawn Andrews, who also serves as Heroes Read Founder and CEO, said more than 100 guests are expected to attend this first-time event. Proceeds will help support the organization’s reading programs for K-12 students.
Andrews said the programs are designed to build and maintain a love of reading through comics including storytimes, workshops, and activities.
For older students, their Heroes Program pays high school students a stipend to help deliver programming to younger
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Some of their community partners include: Books on the Square, Laughing Shield Comics, High Ground Comics, the Boys & Girls Clubs, Young Voices, Providence Community Libraries.
Andrews said the endeavor is a labor of love in generating a life-long pursuit of reading and learning about the world beyond what they see.
“I want to make reading a priority for all kids throughout the state,” he said. “Starting students with the gift of reading early encourages them to expand their minds, think differently, and look at their world from another view. All of that can propel students into worlds they haven’t even discovered yet.”
As Shawn puts it succinctly, “Every hero needs an origin story. This is ours.”
Andrews would like to thank the following companies for their partnership and/or in-kind services:
Flatbread Company
IDW Publishing
Ignition Press
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Buttonhole Golf
R1 Racing
Get Strong Strength Training
RIFC
Worcester Red Sox
Laughing Shield Comic Shop
Rubber Chicken Comics
Boston Museum of Science
Berg’s Eye Communications
Andrews said he expects more than 100 guests. Tickets are $50 each. Sponsorships are available by contacting Shawn Andrews at: 401-572-7074 or shawn@heroesread.org.
About Heroes Read:
Heroes Read is a Rhode Island 501©(3) nonprofit that uses comics, graphic novels, and manga to build a love of reading in kids from underserved communities. They place high-interest books in schools, libraries, and community organizations and run reading programs for K-12 students across the state. Theirin work is grounded in the Science of Reading and aligned with the Rhode Island Right to Read Act.
Heroes Read harnesses pop culture and the arts to foster a love of reading and learning in under-resourced communities, improving literacy engagement and long-term educational success.
They envision a world where every child has access to stories that reflect who they are, and where comics and pop culture are gateways to learning.
