A Celebration of Stories for Families with Natalie Daise

We thank our Maker for Augusta Baker!

Storytelling, songs and more await you and your family at Richland Library as we celebrate stories of all kinds in honor of our favorite librarian, Augusta Baker.

Natalie Daise, storyteller, artist, singer, actor, and author of Okra Stew: A Gullah Geechee Family Celebration, is our special guest. Darion McCloud, actor, director and children's literacy advocate, is our featured storyteller. A book signing will follow!

Special Guest:

Photo of Natalie Daise. An older Black woman sitting in a colorful patchwork chair. A painting of a Black man is behind her. She wears a white shirt, blue jeans, and has a smile on her face. — Natalie Daise | Photo by Vanessa Greene

Natalie Daise is a magnetic performer, speaker, and artist who has long connected with young people in her community and beyond, sharing Gullah songs and traditions. Best known as the co-star of the hit Nickelodeon show "Gullah Gullah Island," Natalie is embarking on a new form of storytelling with her debut picture book, Okra Stew, and hopes to continue to entertain, educate, empower and inspire. She has been married to Ron Daise, her cheerleader, supporter, and committed partner in creativity and life since 1985. They have two children, Sara and Simeon, by birth, and one, Sabrina, by heart.

Featured Storyteller:

Photo of Darion McCloud. Darion is an older Black man. He has braided salt-and-pepper hair and a beard. He wears a brown jacket and light blue t-shirt. He has a friendly expression on his face. — Darion McCloud | Photo by Sadie Whitehead

Darion McCloud is an actor, director, storyteller, consultant, teacher, and children's literacy advocate. He is also the creative force behind the NiA Theatre Company and Story Squad. Darion has worked onstage and in film, television, the internet, and radio. He is a Leo Twiggs Scholar, an Andrew Billingsley and Literacy Leader Awards winner, and the 2022 recipient of the South Carolina Governor's Award for the Arts. Some of Darion's favorite credits include Br'er Rabbit (director), Topdog Underdog (Lincoln), Hero (film/Wayne), and Right in the Left Lane (digital series/Darius). He is also a founding teaching artist with the Inclusive Theatre Company of South Carolina. Darion may be found online or in person inside The Magic Purple Circle telling songs and singing stories for families.

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Augusta Braxton Baker

Augusta Baker's Dozen: A Celebration of Stories is an annual event co-sponsored by Richland Library and the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair, Dr. Nicole Cooke. It honors the life and work of the late Augusta Baker, an influential librarian and storyteller, by introducing children to the magic of books and stories.
Don't miss the opportunity to attend the 7th Annual Augusta Baker Lecture featuring Emely Rumble on Friday, April 17th.

Questions? E-mail hmccue@richlandlibrary.com

Add to Calendar 2026-04-18 10:30:00 2026-04-18 12:00:00 A Celebration of Stories for Families with Natalie Daise Storytelling, songs and more await you and your family at Richland Library as we celebrate stories of all kinds featuring special guest Natalie Daise and storyteller Darion McCloud. A book signing will follow! Richland Library Main Richland Library no-reply@richlandlibrary.com America/New_York public

We value inclusion and access for all of our customers including those that may need Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations. Please complete this ADA accommodation request form at least two weeks prior to the event to make a reasonable accommodation request.
Have questions about the program? Please reach out to a staff member at the hosting location for additional information.