PEN America works tirelessly to defend free expression, support persecuted writers, and promote literary culture. Here are some of the latest ways PEN America is speaking out.
- PEN America shared a piece by the Palestinian writer, poet, and parent Akram Al-Sourani about devastation in Gaza and his struggle to survive there. “All living beings here have withered; faces have darkened like the streets themselves; life has become a series of roadblocks and jolts. We have nothing, nothing but helplessness, oppression, exhaustion, and a flicker of internet connection,” Al-Sourani writes. Read the full piece here.
- PEN America celebrated the pardoning of Egyptian-British writer and activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, who spent six years in jail for exercising the freedom of expression. “His pardoning is a long overdue correction of a deep injustice, and is an acknowledgement of the suffering he needlessly had to endure,” said Interim Co-CEO Summer Lopez. Read the full statement here.
- PEN America’s Jonathan Friedman applauded Jimmy Kimmel for encouraging his viewers to defend free speech during his first appearance on air following a six-day suspension. Read more here.
- PEN America expressed concern that universities in Florida are dismissing and investigating faculty, staff, and students over social media posts regarding the death of Charlie Kirk. Read more here.
- PEN America raised the alarm about a new Pentagon directive demanding that journalists pledge not to report information unless it has been pre-approved for release by government officials. “By attempting to dictate what independent news outlets can publish before the information reaches the public, the Department of Defense is positioning itself as censor and gatekeeper of information about the United States military,” said Tim Richardson, program director for Journalism and Disinformation. Read the full statement here.
- PEN America criticized a policy at Angelo State University in Texas that would ban classroom discussions about gender and transgender individuals, calling it “extreme and dangerous.” Read more here.
- At the Brooklyn Book Festival, PEN America hosted a booth and a banned book reading garden. Sabir Sultan, director of the World Voices Festival and Literary Programs, also moderated “Portraits of the Everyday,” a panel featuring three short story writers. We hope you caught us there!
- After Slate released a list of the 25 best picture books of the past 25 years, PEN America found that nearly a quarter of them were banned. Find out which here.
