PEN America Florida harnessed the wisdom of those on the front lines of the fight against book bans through a structured strategy lab to turn stories into action to confront censorship in real time. On Nov. 1, at CityArts in downtown Orlando, “The Book Ban Fight: From Stories to Strategy” convening gathered educators, librarians, parents, artists, and advocates from across Florida who are committed to safeguarding free expression and resisting the wave of book bans sweeping the state.
Participants developed new frameworks for advocacy, identified immediate next steps, and created concrete strategies that could be tested and adapted in real time. The room buzzed with urgency and purpose as people from different corners of the state realized they were part of a larger movement bound by shared stakes and creativity.
As the day unfolded, participants translated ideas into action plans. Some developed models for school board engagement, others crafted templates for community education campaigns or frameworks to strengthen library networks. Artists proposed ways to make these fights visible in public spaces, while parents and students worked through tactics to keep stories in classrooms. The plans that emerged were detailed and grounded in the experience of people most affected by censorship.
By the afternoon, the walls of CityArts were covered with large sheets of paper filled with notes, maps, and action steps. Participants moved through the room, reading one another’s plans, offering ideas, and refining tactics. What began as a conversation ended as a shared strategy for statewide advocacy.
The convening closed with a reflection circle that pulled together the lessons of the day. Participants discussed exhaustion, renewal, and the transformative power of working in community. Many described leaving with not only tools and templates but a clearer sense of direction. They had built something real—plans that could move directly into action.
Beyond strategy, the convening provided a space for mutual support and fellowship. Participants on the front lines of censorship battles found time to connect, to restore, and to remind one another that courage can be sustained through community. Participants traded reading lists, local contacts, and the small gestures that sustain long work.
In the months ahead, the PEN America Florida office will share the toolkit created during the convening and continue to strengthen networks among educators, librarians, artists, and advocates. The fight against censorship in Florida unfolds in classrooms, libraries, and community spaces every day. The people who filled that room in Orlando left ready to act, proof that strategy can grow from story, that wisdom can be collective, and that change begins when people plan together.
