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Prison Book Bans, Protect Mass Incarceration
I resist the dehumanization that prisons create, which is further maintained by unjust censorship. More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with the 2022 Emerging Voices Fellows
Identity can serve as a type of complex shorthand. It gives us the power to declare ourselves to the world, but it can also flatten and politicize us in… More
Court in India Urged to Release Writer Vernon Gonsalves, as His Health Worsens
“The continued detention of Vernon Gonsalves puts his life at imminent risk and stems from arbitrary accusations which have yet to be proven, while he has languished for years… More
PEN America Calls for the Immediate Acquittal and Release of Mongolian Activist Munkhbayar Chuluundorj Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Protesting China-Mongolia Relations
“The harsh and unjust verdict in Munkhbayar Chuluundorj’s trial is a grave violation of the fundamental right to free expression,” says Liesl Gerntholtz, director of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to… More
New Financial Help to Sustain Ukraine Artists, as War Tears Apart Their Creative Practice
Julie Trebault, ARC director, said: “The war in Ukraine has torn apart the lives of Ukrainians, including many artists, who, despite the brutality, have lent their talent and courage… More
Jenny Holzer Art Installation to Light Up Rockefeller Center Buildings with Prose in Celebration of PEN America’s 100th Birthday, Starting Wed., 9/14
The outdoor installation, titled SPEECH ITSELF, will include quotes from more than 60 authors in a visual tribute to the right to express ourselves freely. Among the authors whose… More
Today’s Book Bans Might Be More Dangerous Than Those From the Past
Bans are targeting books that young Americans want to read, not texts that a teacher tells them they must. More
Concern Raised Over Censorship Threat Against Netflix, Disney from Saudi Arabia, Gulf Neighbors
“These calls are unfortunately no surprise coming from regimes all too accustomed to censoring the stories and ideas their own citizens can access. But their attempt to inflict that… More
Against the Ruins of 9/11 21 Years Ago, Salman Rushdie Appealed to New Yorkers: “Don’t Let Fear Rule Your Life”
His Words Opened an Enduring Path to Cross-Cultural Dialogue By Suzanne Trimel (NEW YORK)—What has changed as a result of the 9/11 attacks? This has been an unceasing point for debate… More
Celebrated Authors Gather Mon., Sept. 12 for “Words on Fire: Writing, Freedom, and the Future”
MEDIA ADVISORY (NEW YORK) — PEN America presents Words on Fire: Writing, Freedom, and the Future, an afternoon of urgent public conversation on the issues that drive the world’s leading… More