Marj Kleinman
City Kids show and tell their Stoop Stories™!
Presenters: Marj Kleinman Lara Weinberg
Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 1
Number 19 on the official photoville map
Click to download this year's map
Presented by:
Families can create their own Stoop Stories™ by writing and coloring in stoop illustrations, designed by local artist, @drawingabriela, which will form a growing art gallery displayed at the Stoop Stories tent. Kids will also be invited to step onto the stoop to share their Stoop Stories and pose for “stoopies” (stoop selfies). Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s teaching artists will gather visitors around a mini-stoop to hear children’s Stoop Stories throughout the day. BCM teaching artists will guide children through creative prompts and activities throughout the program and the Stoop Stories team will be on hand to talk with families about their Photoville “City Kids” exhibit.
Video edited by Sydney Stewart
Please note, that we require everyone, regardless of their vaccination status, to wear a mask while participating in our Photoville Community Day workshops, tours and family activities. We reserve the right to ask anyone to leave if they are not wearing a mask, are not practicing a reasonable amount of social distancing or are conducting themselves in a way that puts other attendees’ safety and wellbeing in jeopardy.
For further information please refer to our FAQs and Safety Protocols
Marj Kleinman is the creator, producer, and photographer of Stoop Stories. A lifelong Brooklynite, residing in her childhood brownstone, she has years of stoop-sitting under her belt. This symbol of Brooklyn culture became both her refuge and muse, especially in times of crisis. Before focusing on photography, Marj was a children’s educational media producer, creating award-winning games and activities for kids, families, and teachers at PBS Kids, Sesame Workshop, Scholastic, and Noggin. She was also a contributing writer/photographer for Toca Boca Magazine, exploring the power of play and creativity in childhood. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Time Out New York, PIX11, PBS Parents, and Scary Mommy. Marj holds an M.A. in Educational Psychology from New York University and a B.S. in Theater Management from Emerson College.
Lara Weinberg is the co-producer and editorial director of Stoop Stories. She is a pun-loving wordsmith and communications consultant with eclectic experience in entertainment, marketing, and media. Born and bred in NYC, Lara studied Literature & Rhetoric at SUNY-Binghamton and went on to associate produce “The Writing Code”—a critically acclaimed, three-part PBS series on the origin, history, and art of writing. She is the former managing director of Mission Getting to Next, a nonprofit leadership and career transition organization, and was the Director of Sales and Business Development for ShadowTV. In May 2020, despite being stoopless in the city, this ground-floor apartment dweller was enlisted to create content for and co-produce Stoop Stories. Channeling her COVID blues into heartfelt storytelling, Lara is proud to edit prose, contribute original pieces, and craft stories that honor her fellow New Yorkers.
Stoop Stories™ is a documentary storytelling platform born in Brooklyn at the height of COVID-19. Our mission is to connect, support, and celebrate our NYC neighbors, especially those hardest hit by the pandemic and systemic inequities.
Since April 2020, Stoop Stories has created and curated hundreds of features from NYC families, essential workers, small business owners, and activists, and has been profiled by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time Out New York, PIX11 News, and News12 Brooklyn. Their work has been exhibited at the International Center for Photography, Arts Gowanus ArtWalk, Papergirl BK, and Art on the Ave NYC.
In May 2021, we opened a solo show at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM), the first children’s museum in the world, founded in 1899. Inspired by the energy and diversity of our borough, BCM creates experiences that ignite curiosity, celebrate identity, and cultivate joyful learning. The Stoop Stories exhibit is designed to engage children and caregivers and invites them to tell their own Stoop Stories. As an extension to this experience, we are proud to present this companion exhibit for Photoville—a celebration of city kids and stoop play!
Founded in 1899 as the world’s first children’s museum, Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) is New York City’s largest cultural institution designed especially for families. Proudly based in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, BCM serves 300,000 children and caregivers annually with exhibits and programs grounded in visual arts, music and performance, natural science, and world cultures. For more information visit: www.brooklynkids.org.
Major support for Brooklyn Children’s Museum is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council and by the New York State Council on the Arts.
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