DJ TROY Frost
DJ, Educator, Event Curator
About
Kyara Andrade-Howell also known as DJ TROY Frost is an artist, educator, and event curator from Dorchester and Roxbury. She started DJing in 2013 and completed Scratch DJ Academy’s certification program in 2015. After graduating from Barnard College in 2017, she worked as a DEI Consultant and for Boston Public Schools in varying roles. In 2019, she piloted The Breaks, an enrichment program which gave 15 Boston youth an introduction to the pillars of Hip Hop. Kyara now works part time as a library coordinator at a middle/high school and at Frugal Bookstore in Roxbury. She is currently working on growing Purple Produce, an event series focused on Hip Hop, wellness, community collaboration.
Notable Performances & Speaking Engagements
2023 Hip Hop U @ MIT, Panelist
2023 Boston Arts & Music Festival, DJ
2023 Embrace Ideas Festival
2022 Josh Cellars & Joshua Bennett Book Giveaway
2022 Finally Reloaded Fest, DJ for Red Shaydez and the Charmers
2022 Purple Produce: A Heal Thy Self Art Jam, Creator, Host & DJ
2022 Pride Extended BAGS Party, DJ Set
2022 Trans Resistance Fest, DJ for Red Shaydez
2022 Done for Didi Juneteenth Poetry Slam, DJ
2022 Hella Black, DJ
2022 Comics In Color Festival, DJ Set
2022 Big Worlds Event, Zumix Radio, DJ Set
2020 ArtsConnect International, Arts Equity Summit, DJ Set
2020 Leikeli 47 Show at Northeastern Univ., DJ for Red Shaydez
2020 Hella Black, DJ for Red Shaydez
2019 The Black Studies Reading Room, Reading Abundantly Panelist
2019 Hip Hop Literacies Conference, Ohio State Univ., Speaker & DJ Set
2019 Arts on the Edge Boat Cruise, DJ Set
2019 The Works of Art Music Series, DJ
2019 Artz Underground, DJ
2019 BAMS Fest, DJ for Red Shaydez and the Charmers
2018 Middle East, DJ for Oompa
2017 Hoop Hop Basketball Tournament, DJ
2017 NYC Feminist Zine Fest, DJ
2016 Hoop Hop Basketball Tournament, DJ
2016 Love Queen Cast Party, DJ
2015 Planned Parenthood Conference & After Party featuring Nina Sky
2014 The TROY Frost Block Party, Creator, Host & DJ
2014 Planned Parenthood Conference & Poetry Lounge featuring Stacy Ann Chinn
2014 Bacchanal: Columbia Univ. Spring Concert featuring Taylor Simone, Josh Mac, Lupe Fiasco & others, DJ Set
2014 NYC Feminist Zine Fest
2012 WBAR Radio Show DJ & Host
2005-2010 Enmotion Dance Company
Interviews/Features/Radio
2023 It’s Lit Boston Podcast, Interview
2023 LFOD Outside the Algorithm, Interview
2021 Lofi Hip Hop Thot Radio, DJ Set
2020 LFOD Radio, Interview & DJ Set
2017 Uptown Plug Show on In the Mixx Radio, DJ Set
2016 The Le Sigh, Interview
2014 The Doyenne’s Den on BBOX Radio, Interview & DJ Set
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
2017 BA, Africana Studies
Barnard College of Columbia University New York, NY
2015 DJ Certification
Scratch DJ Academy New York, NY
AWARDS & GRANTS
2023 Fenway Cohort Program, $3000 Boston, MA
2022 Ashé Ashé Grant, Boston Ujima Project, $5,000 Boston, MA
2017 Barnard Library Research Award, $2,500 New York, NY
2016 Codman Academy Perseverance Award, $1,000 Boston, MA
2014 Barnard Marian Churchill White Prize, $500 New York, NY
RECENT WORK EXPERIENCE
Winter 2021-Present Frugal Bookstore Roxbury, MA
Bookseller. Processing special orders and bulk orders for customers. Recommend books where appropriate. Handling payments by cash, card, and other digital forms of payment. Research forthcoming books and maintain a list of books to purchase each month. Sell books at offsite events. Assist with training new staff. Manage general housekeeping duties, such as unpacking, stock replenishment and tidying. Creating displays. Unpacking and receiving new books. Processing invoices.
Events & Social Media Manager. Manage social media accounts. Create digital art for promoting books and flyers for upcoming events. Help with in-store events, including book signings, discussions and reading groups.
Summer 2021-Present Comm. Charter School of Cambridge Cambridge, MA
Library Coordinator. Primary point person responsible for purchase of books. Organize systems within the library. Maintain records of books withdrawn and returned. Manage the upkeep of book collection. Work with a diverse student body from Cambridge, Boston, and surrounding cities between sixth and twelfth grade. Sustain a school-wide culture of respect using the principles of restorative justice. Participate in myriad forms of professional development as scheduled for all staff. Led chess club for high school students. Created and led a self-care club for high school students.
HIP HOP EDUCATION, EVENT PLANNING & PROGRAMMING EXPERIENCE
Spring 2017- Spring 2019 The Breaks Pilot Program Roxbury, MA
Researcher. Curriculum Writer. Program Coordinator. Recruitment & Marketing Coordinator. Facilitator.
2017-2018 Researched on Hip Hop History and community wellness via an independent study while at Barnard. Wrote a curriculum for children on Hip Hop History and self-awareness.
2019. Transformed curriculum into a youth camp called “The Breaks.” designed with youth of color in Boston Public Schools in mind. It was open and free to all children with the help of a donation from VISIONS, Inc. 15 young people between the ages of 6 years old to 14 years old learned about the birth of Hip Hop culture and its core elements and developed note-taking skills. Students participated in a breakdancing class with a member of breakdancing crew, the Floor Lords, a production and music-making workshop with local producer, MC and engineer Axestrumentals, a DJing workshop with DJ Armando The Truth and a Knowledge of Self and Graffiti workshop led by Brandon Sullivan. One student wrote and recorded a song with Axestrumentals. On the last day, students participated in an open mic and gallery walk presenting original work created during their time at The Breaks.
2019 Hip Hop Literacies Conference at Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio
Speaker. DJ. Wrote and presented an essay entitled “An Ode to Missy and Our Girls,” on teaching about Hip Hop artists as historical figures to continue in the tradition of using Hip Hop as a catalyst for change. I argue that Missy Elliott’s life story can empower young black girls. Performed an “Ode to Missy” DJ Set.
2018 Harvard University Hip Hop Archive and Research Institute Cambridge, MA
Summer Research Assistant. Researched hip hop albums and events for Classic Crates Digital Archival Project. Archived primary and secondary sources. Collaborated with other research assistants on varying research assignments and tasks. Researched inductees for archival project. Contributed to a timeline of live events for inductees. Cleaning archive space weekly. Participated in conversations with hip hop producer, 9th wonder and writer, Greg Tate.
Summer 2014 The TROY Frost Block Party Roxbury, MA
Creator. Event Planner. Host. DJ. Planned and hosted a block party for neighbors and the Roxbury community at large. Applied for permits to block off Juniper Street. Invited three local vendors to provide food and clothing. Provided face painting for children. Collaborated with VISIONS, Inc. on securing proper paperwork, marketing and community outreach.
Fall/Winter 2022, Spring 2020 Transformative Culture Project. Boston, MA
Teaching Artist. (2022) Taught about Hip Hop history and 5 pillars to Fenway High School students between ninth and twelfth grade. Developed curriculum for course and supported students with group projects.
(2020) Taught a course on DJing and beat making with elementary students across first through fifth grade.
Summer 2020 & 2021 Boston Area Health and Education Center at Boston Health Commission. Boston, MA
Black History Instructor. Taught high school students an introductory course on African/Indigenous global history for five weeks.
