PEN America: Choice to Rescind Permission for Event at Medical College of Wisconsin Sends the Message that Speakers Must Pass Through an “Ideological Litmus Test”
"The choice to rescind permission for this event sends a message that the exchange of ideas at the Medical College of Wisconsin is not truly free and must pass… More
PEN America Mourns Passing of Philanthropist Laura Pels
For the past 25 years, the award has recognized playwrights of all career stages including Tony Kushner, Suzan-Lori Parks, David Henry Hwang, Lynn Nottage, and Larissa FastHorse. These and… More
PEN America Highlights World Press Freedom Day Underscoring Writers and Journalists Jailed Worldwide
Nadine Farid Johnson, managing director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression programs said, “Across the world, the bravery of journalists is on full display. Resolute in their commitment… More
Outdoor Art Installation 5/11 and 5/13 in NYC Draws Attention to Crisis of Book Bans in Public Schools
Across the United States, local and state initiatives are regulating what can and cannot be taught to students. School boards are limiting students' access to books, and elected leaders… More
Now the Most Challenged and Banned Book, Gender Queer Was Written to Give Teenagers the Guidance that Author Maia Kobabe Never Had
“If I’d had a book to read like this, specifically, when I was like a freshman in high school, it would have saved me years of questioning and confusion… More
As Press Leaks Confirm Iran’s Systematic Targeting and Persecution of Artists, PEN America Calls on UN Fact-Finding Mission to Investigate
“The leaked documents prove the deliberate and systematic nature of the Iranian regime’s attacks on freedom of expression, amounting to major human rights violations under international law. The Minister… More
New PEN America Manifesto on Translation: A Call for Change to Counter Historic Racial and Gender Inequities in the 21st Century
Allison Markin Powell, a member of the Translation Committee who led the group that drafted the manifesto, said: “The manifesto’s call to action emphasizes that translation is a form… More
New Report: 16 Writers and Public Intellectuals Jailed in Belarus in 2022, with 33 Writers at Risk for Persecution
“Belarusian culture does not have a place in its own country,” said Polina Sadovskaya, Eurasia and Advocacy Director at PEN America. “In 2022, the jailing of writers and public… More
Saudi Arabia Among World’s Most Repressive Countries for Free Expression, with 20 Writers Jailed and Others Facing Persecution
Justin Shilad, PEN America’s research and advocacy lead for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “Saudi Arabia’s continued presence in the PEN America Freedom to Write index points… More
New PEN America Report: Crackdown on Anti-Government Protests in Iran Swells the Number of Jailed Writers
“Iran’s creative community—long at the forefront of fighting for free expression and human rights—was singled out as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in 2022,” said Karin Deutsch… More