Rising Restrictions on Artistic Freedom in Africa Linked to Political Crises, Flawed Elections and Covid
“Over the last few years in Africa, we have witnessed disturbing attacks on artists from around the continent, accompanied by widespread and pernicious efforts to dampen the right to… More
Stanford Study: PEN America Workshops Significantly Improved Participants’ Digital Media Literacy Skills to Counter Disinformation
To counter that threat PEN America launched its Knowing the News media literacy program in 2020 to equip the public with the knowledge and skills to defend against disinformation.… More
Baktash Abtin, Keyvan Bajan, Reza Khandan Mahabadi | Status: Imprisoned | Iran
Baktash Abtin, Kevyan Bajan, and Reza Khandan Mahabadi are three celebrated writers, free expression advocates, and board members of the Iranian Writers’ Association (IWA). The three writers are serving… More
2021 Community Partnership Programs
In collaboration with four community partner organizations, we offer media literacy workshops to counter vaccine misinformation. More
Arash Ganji | Status: Imprisoned | Iran
Arash Ganji is a prominent writer, translator, and the Secretary of the Iranian Writers’ Association (IWA), who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his translation of a… More
The PEN Pod: On Trauma, Identity, and Reinvention with Dan O’Brien
“It’s so important to me to push through the taboo of what we shouldn’t speak about and can’t speak about, or feel we can’t speak about.” More
Temperature Check, Vol. 13: Reflections, The Closing Issue
Our Temperature Check series concludes with updates from featured guests and writers as well as the latest in legislative and organizational advocacy efforts. More
The PEN Pod: On PEN Belarus, Book Bans, and Vaccine Misinformation with Suzanne Nossel
“Book bans are alive and well, and that they move with the culture. They tend to crop up as a battleground in connection with culture wars.” More
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PEN America On 
Literary royalty at @MilesCollege tonight with Birmingham native and National Book Award winner @imaniperry and @ALPoetLaureate Ashley M. Jones with support from @thankyou_bham. Inspiring evening. https://twitter.com/PENamerica/status/1618636171751342081
Not enough words for the eloquence and generosity of @imaniperry in person. (And her laugh, her laughter, her smile—luminous.) ✨Do so wish I’d captured the image of @ALPoetLaureate’s purple sequins glimmering in the drizzle near a street lamp at @MilesCollege tonight.
NEW today: lawmakers in at least 8 states have recently introduced bills targeting #DragShows
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/01/ban-drag-shows-analysis-finds-bills-targeting-them-8-states/11150196002/
This comes as all- age drag shows have become a flashpoint in America’s culture wars: