Washington’s Ban on the Booty
These policies are not only controversial; they also have harmful impacts on prisoners, their relationships, and female staff working in the institutions. More
Refused: 15 years as a Books to Prison Program Volunteer
While many states have banned book lists that limit the books which can be mailed into prisons and jails, the unofficial censorship of the mailroom staff is even more… More
Abolitionist Organizing: Brick by Brick, Book by Book
Struggles against prison censorship remind us that information is power and that prisons maintain their power, in part, by preventing the spread of dangerous ideas. More
Forbidden Knowledge
History warns us of the dangers of banning books, but the effects of information control on imprisoned women are intimate and profound. More
Prison Book Bans, Protect Mass Incarceration
I resist the dehumanization that prisons create, which is further maintained by unjust censorship. More
Now This Man
Joseph Grosso was awarded 2nd Place in Nonfiction Essay in the 2022 Prison Writing Contest. Every year, hundreds of imprisoned people from around the country submit poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and… More
Variations on an Undisclosed Location: 2022 Prison Writing Awards Anthology
This anthology represents the indispensable archive of the creativity and intellect of incarcerated writers. It also exists simultaneously as a vehicle of connection with the world and other incarcerated… More
Pain Management
Elizabeth Hawes was awarded an Honorable Mention in Nonfiction Memoir in the 2022 Prison Writing Contest. Every year, hundreds of imprisoned people from around the country submit poetry, fiction, nonfiction,… More
Another Rainy Day, Hurray
Burl Corbett was awarded 1st Place in Nonfiction Memoir in the 2022 Prison Writing Contest. Every year, hundreds of imprisoned people from around the country submit poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and… More
Caught Crossing, Caught Between — A Tale of Two Cities
Frank Kensaku Saragosa was awarded 1st Place in Nonfiction Essay in the 2022 Prison Writing Contest. Every year, hundreds of imprisoned people from around the country submit poetry, fiction, nonfiction,… More
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PEN America On 
For months, a handful of books dealing with #LGBTQ themes have been targeted by #KansasCity area conservatives. But facing a new Missouri law, some schools have removed a wider array of books, including #SlaughterhouseFive, #Watchmen and #TheHandmaidsTale. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article266556371.html#storylink=cpy
Thrilled to see this important recognition of the deeply courageous work of activists from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, including @pen_belarus member Ales Bialiatski. #NobelPeacePrize2022 https://twitter.com/nobelprize/status/1578309539870318603
⚡️This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to jailed Belarus human rights activist, member of PEN Belarus Ales Bialiatski https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1578309539870318603