Upcoming JCO Events
The Vacation Braids Tour!
This summer Jaylene is on tour!
For many Black girls, summer time means getting "vacation braids!" This protective style can be worn in the pool, at the beach, and is a great way to look cute while not having to worry about styling your hair on vacation! That's why this summer tour for "A Black Girl and Her Braids" is called the Vacation Braids Tour!
See below for information on the upcoming events!
8/20/26 - A Great Day in Publishing (Tisbury, MA - Martha's Vineyard)
After being the first author to sell out of all her books at the Martha's Vineyard Book Festival, Jaylene is returning to Martha's Vineyard as one of the featured authors for "A Great Day in Publishing," presented by Storehouse Voices! This FREE event will take place on Thursday, August 20, 10AM - 4PM! At 11:50AM, Jaylene will feature on a panel called, "Our Stories, Our Selves, Our Strengths!"
Panel description: Singer, author, and cultural activist Lachi and poet and children’s author Jaylene Clark Owens explore what it means to define yourself on your own terms—and then turn that confidence into art that empowers others. From Lachi’s bold reclamation of identity in I Identify as Blind to Owens’s joyful celebration of Black girlhood and self-expression in A BLACK GIRL AND HER BRAIDS, they’ll talk about finding your voice, embracing personal style, challenging expectations, and creating work that invites others to stand more fully in who they are.
Copies of "A Black Girl and Her Braids" will be available for purchase and Jaylene will sign them from 12:20 - 12:40PM. She will have to leave the event by 1PM so be sure to arrive before then to catch her!
Location: Martha's Vineyard Film Center, 79 Beach Rd, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
Click here to RSVP! Few tickets left!
8/29/26 - Harlem Book Fair (New York, NY)
Jaylene returns to her hometown of Harlem, New York, for the annual Harlem Book Fair! The fair will take place on Saturday, August 29, from 10AM to 6PM, in front of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building. This event is FREE! Stay tuned to find out if Jaylene will also be performing her poetry or doing a read aloud!
Location: Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street, Harlem, NY
9/27/26 - Children's Museum of Manhattan
Join the Children's Museum of Manhattan for a special afternoon with author and performer, Jaylene Clark Owens on Sunday, September 27, at 2PM and 3PM! Based on Jaylene’s viral poem of the same name, “A Black Girl and Her Braids” champions braids of all lengths, looks, parts, and styles, in a vibrant picture book celebrating the versatility of Black hair. Join for a read aloud and spoken word poetry performance from Jaylene!
This event was originally scheduled for February of this year, but was postponed due to the snow.
Location: Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 W 83rd St, New York, NY 10024
Stay tuned for ticket information!