PEN America and LA County Library are excited to announce our Freedom to Read Student Summit at West Hollywood Library for Banned Books Week 2024! In this convening, high school students will be welcomed to engage with each other and youth advocacy leaders from PEN America in a series of workshops designed to discuss and counter growing threats to the freedom to read in California and nationwide.
Join us in person at West Hollywood Library on Saturday, September 28 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm for our youth activism workshops and catered lunch. At our Summit, student attendees will be able to learn the latest nationwide book ban data collected by PEN America, assess emerging censorship trends, and discuss ways to effectively advocate for free expression and access to diverse literature in our communities.
Our special guests include Pickle, the Drag Laureate of the City of West Hollywood, and the Golden State Readers, a youth-led group of freedom to read advocates from across California who will discuss their #BreakTheTape caution tape awareness campaign and ways that students can become campaign ambassadors during Banned Books Week.
This event is open to all high school students and is free to attend. Lunch will be provided. Capacity is limited so please register as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].
Program Itinerary
|
Activity |
Starts |
Ends |
|
Welcome and Ice Breaker Activity |
11:00am |
11:30am |
|
Interactive Presentation: PEN America and Defending the Freedom to Read |
11:30am |
12:30pm |
|
Lunch |
12:30pm |
1:00pm |
|
Youth-led Advocacy Workshop featuring the Golden State Readers |
1:00pm |
1:50pm |
|
Special Guest: Pickle the Drag Queen |
1:50pm |
2:50pm |
|
Closing, Survey, and Group Photo |
2:50pm |
3:00pm |
Participants
-
Pickle
Pickle is a live-singing, drag queen host, entertainer, and storyteller. A Los Angeles native, she attended Hamilton High School Academy of Music before receiving her BA in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College. Pickle has focused on blending education initiatives into her drag work and runs the LA chapter of Drag Story Hour. She has Read more…
-
Nicholas Perez
Nicholas “Niko” Perez is the program manager of free expression and education at PEN America. In this role, he advances PEN America’s efforts to catalyze a more informed, civic culture through free expression education for the rising generation and the general public, and supports advocacy, analysis, and outreach in the national debate around free speech
Partners
Founded in 1912, LA County Library is one of the largest and most innovative library systems in the US. It provides culturally responsive and dynamic collections, programs, and services to meet the literacy, information, personal enrichment, and entertainment needs of all residents across Los Angeles County.
The Golden State Readers are a growing network of students from across California committed to raising awareness about freedom-to-read issues nationwide. They work locally to educate, advocate, and fundraise to provide diverse and banned literature to students impacted by book bans.
Sponsors
Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath represents the 3rd supervisorial district of Los Angeles County which is home to more than two million people. The district covers 446.08 square miles and stretches from the Ventura County line to West Hollywood and the city of San Fernando, including portions of 10 cities, 26 unincorporated communities and 49 neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles.
LA County Library Foundation, founded in 1982, raises funds and creates partnerships to support LA County Library and the millions of children, teens, and adults whose lives it enriches with free programs, services, and resources. The Library is a dynamic and unifying force for Los Angeles County, with the Library Foundation a vital partner.
