Drag superstar RuPaul co-founds new bookstore, sends Rainbow Books Bus to bring banned books to Florida

RuPaul has a lot happening this week. Fresh from becoming the most-awarded person of color ever at the Emmys with his 11th win, the Queen of Drag has a new memoir hitting the shelves Tuesday, has joined forces with a newly revamped online bookstore with a RuPaul-chosen Book of the Month, and is helping send his partners' Rainbow Books Bus to different locations — including Tallahassee — to distribute banned books.

It will be an incursion into enemy territory. Florida had more books banned or removed from school and library shelves than any other state in the 2022-23 school year, according to a report from nonprofit literacy organization PEN America. Florida legislators also passed a law effectively banning drag shows (without ever using the term) last year before a federal district court temporarily blocked it on First Amendment grounds and the U.S. Supreme Courtvoted against an application from the state.

Who is RuPaul?

RuPaul Charles. 63, may have done more than anyone alive to bring drag into the mainstream. Even aside from his own stunning appearances in multiple shows, competitions, and the movie "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar," plus his three GLAAD Media Awards, his two Billboard Music Awards and his Tony, and other accolades, the Glamazon has hosted the incredibly popular "RuPaul’s Drag Race" since 2009 with undeniable style.

Now in its 16th season, "Drag Race" showcases drag queens competing for the title of America's next drag superstar and a prize of $100,000. The "Drag Race" cultural juggernaut has spawned multiple spin-offs, including "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" and "RuPaul's Celebrity Drag Race."

His new memoir, "The House of Hidden Meanings," is also his first selection for his monthly book club at the online bookstore Allstora, where he is creative director.

What is the Rainbow Books Bus?

It started with LGBTQ+ advocate and author Eric Cervini and actor and drag performer Adam Powell, who started the first version of the bookstore, ShopQueer. They raised over $200,000 with donors and supporters to convert a 22-foot school bus into a brightly colored bookmobile with the aim "to promote and protect access to representative books and media for queer communities and anyone impacted by anti-inclusive legislation," according to a press release.

The Rainbow Books Bus was started in 2022, debuted at the L.A. Pride event and some book fairs last year, and is now making its first cross-country tour by traveling across the South in March 2024 with plans to hand out 10,000 books focusing on LGBTQ+ and people of color themes. After that it's off to the Midwest and the Great Plains.

One of those events is in Tallahassee, Gov. Ron DeSantis' backyard.

“We must fight censorship and attempts to reduce young people’s access to inclusive stories," Powell said in a statement, "and our colorful and joyful bus loaded with amazing books is an antidote to hate and discrimination.”

Where is the Rainbow Books Bus coming to Tallahassee? When is the event?

The Rainbow Books Bus will be at Capital Tea in Tallahassee at 1111 E Tennessee St. on Monday, March 11.

Follow Capital Tea's Instagram or Facebook pages for times and more details, which will be released closer to the event.

Sorry, Ru will not be attending the event. "I won't be driving the bus," RuPaul told Stephen Colbert during his appearance on "The Late Show" Monday night.

Where else is the Rainbow Books Bus stopping?

• Atlanta, Georgia, The City of Atlanta

• Baton Rouge, Lousiana,  Youth Oasis

• Birmingham, Alabama,  Magic City Acceptance Center

• Memphis, Tennessee, OUTMemphis

• Phoenix, Arizona, one n ten

• San Antonio, Texas, Thrive Youth Center

• Tallahassee, Florida, Capital Tea

Why is the Rainbow Books Bus coming to Florida?

"We knew we had to bring the bus to Florida as part of the inaugural tour," Kappel said in an email interview. "A whopping 40% of all book challenges across the country have been in Florida, as well as tons of legislation policing queer people's bodies and generally trying to remove them from public life. It's a crisis.

"These books coming to Florida are a small way of making young queer people feel seen and loved and represented, when they're so often denied those things."

They're not the first to try. The "Stay Woke Rolling Votercade" visited 15 Florida cities in 2023, giving away banned books and registering voters. Pop megastar Pink handed out 2,000 banned books at her Florida shows last year, and multiple advocacy groups have held giveaways around the state.

Why did the Rainbow Books Bus pick Capital Tea in Tallahassee?

"We chose Capital Tea because of the absolutely essential work they're doing to provide safety and support to queer people, especially trans women of color," Kappel said. "We are great admirers of the work Janel and her entire team are doing, and we knew they would be the perfect centerpiece to our stop in Tallahassee, and great meeting point for other organizations to gather and celebrate queer joy."

Capital Tea is a nonprofit in Tallahassee founded by Janel Diaz which serves as a support group and a safe house for at-risk transgender individuals as well as an advocate. for the trans community.

What is Allstora?

When the first bookstore, ShopQueer, took off, Cervini and Powell expanded the catalog from 3,000 to 10 million titles and cofounded the new, bigger Allstora store with RuPaul.

"We're very grateful that he believes in our mission and has chosen to be a spokesperson for us!" Kappel said.

Allstora makes a point of paying authors more by splitting profits at a higher rate than other stores and supporting diverse storytellers. While you can shop the store without becoming a member, a $5-a-month membership gets you 30% off all books and 50% off your first purchase. Profits from members' purchases all go to the authors.

"Allstora is a bookstore that I'm involved with that is bringing books to people who need to read them, and are in areas where they ban books," RuPaul told Colbert. "Because you know, I've said this before, and I wasn't the first to say it, but knowledge is power. Knowledge is power. If somebody is trying to take away your power they are trying to render you powerless.

"So read a book. Read a book. Get some knowledge," he said.

What is RuPaul's Book Club?

Allstora is also hosting RuPaul's Book Club, a monthly subscription service highlighting books that have inspired the television icon. For $24.50 per month you get the book shipped to you, a "limited edition print hand signed by Ru," and exclusive access to podcasts, playlists and more from RuPaul and his favorite authors.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: RuPaul's Rainbow Books Bus to distribute banned books in Tallahassee