PEN Across America

With mounting threats to a free press, breakdowns in civil discourse, and the marginalization of important voices, PEN America has a vital role to play in defending free expression. That’s why we’re engaging PEN America Members and allies across the country to lead efforts to promote informed debate, defend press freedom, engage in literary advocacy, and facilitate dialogue across barriers of all kinds.

Our PEN Across America initiative provides resources to mobilize PEN America communities nationwide to carry forward our mission to defend and celebrate free expression. Chapters in Arizona, Utah, the Piedmont Region of North Carolina, and elsewhere are organizing public forums to debate critical issues, hosting writers for literary conversations, conducting advocacy campaigns, offering workshops on media literacy, storytelling, citizen journalism, and much more.

Meet Chapter Leaders

Get Involved

PEN Across America supports a vibrant array of activities in communities outside major metropolitan coastal cities (New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles). At a moment when communities across the country are polarized and disengaged with one another, PEN America aims to promote dialogue across borders of any kind and elevate all voices, especially those that have been traditionally marginalized. We’re engaging Members and reaching new audiences with literary events, consequential discussions, and other activities that support our shared mission to celebrate the written word and defend free expression worldwide.

Let us know if you’d like to get involved PEN Across America. For any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

PEN Across America was established with generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Compton Foundation.

Meet the Team