How it started: The Storytime Show was created from a summer camp program where it could be used as a virtual program for kids. Originally from New Orleans, host Jason Williams (Story J) a film and animation major, began teaching art lessons in Los Angeles in the mid-2000’s.

After being approached to do a Storytime class for camp for a local private school, Williams created a few of his own original stories that took the beloved comic book characters so close to his childhood and taught lessons, that would later be translated into animated cartoons, sketches, and what would become what it is on YouTube.  

Being a Black artist in LA, Williams discovered early on what it’s like not to be heard or seen. Therefore, I'm extending an open invitation for all artists, especially authors and artists of color and artist of every community, whoever feels unrepresented and invisible to the public eye, would like to share their stories.

“Every film festival, every studio that ignored work from an artist because it didn’t have ‘universal appeal…’ I want to see it. And more so I want to show it and I want kids to see it and feel they are being seen too.”
– Jason Williams (Story J)

My Role Models (from JW): 
‍I was part of the generation that watched Mr. Rogers growing up and of course I watched LeVar Burton in Reading Rainbow. That was huge, because I saw a lot of children’s shows growing up but that was the only one I really remember a Black man was the host and he didn’t look silly he didn’t make himself into a clown which I hope I never do on my show. Not that I’m comparing myself to this man, but I remember Bill Nye once said “ it’s got to be an extension of yourself, or it won’t go.” so basically when I’m talking to the camera, that’s basically my whole self, all my Hanna-Barbera nerd knowledge, my writing, my movie trivia, that cadence is basically how I talk to my friends. Or my family, or kids in pre-K when they were in the audience for an activity. and they basically modeled that, they could still be funny and still be taken seriously.

But the biggest thing was the level of empathy that people like Mr. Rogers had. As we grow older, we started to take his presence for granted until now when things are so fast and every cartoon is yelling at kids, I want to create a safe space where things can slow down a little where they can process things again.

Especially now. I really think they need that.