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Mina Seçkin headshot

The PEN Ten: An Interview with Mina Seçkin

Interview
By: Nancy Vitale | November 18, 2021

“Any language is meant to evolve. . . . Living in two languages—neither spoken with exact accuracy—built a house of expression for me growing up.” More

Ayad Akhtar speaking at the lectern at the 2021 PEN America Literary Gala

Ayad Akhtar’s Remarks at the 2021 PEN America Literary Gala

Remarks
By: Ayad Akhtar | October 6, 2021

“Reading, of course, is an individual act, but a culture that fosters reading and one that supports writers, invariably compels us to presence, to protest, to celebration.” More

Dan O’Brien headshot

The PEN Pod: On Trauma, Identity, and Reinvention with Dan O’Brien

InterviewSeptember 24, 2021

“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

Headshots and names of Naima Coster, Dantiel W. Moniz, Brian Young, and Kirstin Valdez Quade with multicolor ripped paper on bottom edge

The Myth of Innocence: Coming of Age in America

Thursday, May 20, 2021 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET
 More Information
Headshots and names of Mariana Enriquez, Grace M. Cho, and Lina Meruane with multicolor ripped paper on bottom edge

The Stories Written into Our Bodies

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
 More Information
Alice Randall headshot

The PEN Pod: From Trauma to Transcendence with Alice Randall

InterviewNovember 3, 2020

“Black joy is particularly radical, and [the book] helps you achieve some Black joy right now—it helps all people achieve some honorable, honest joy.” More

Staying Sane: Managing Threat and Trauma

Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
 More Information
Carolyn Forché

The PEN Pod: Singing About Dark Times with Carolyn Forché

InterviewApril 29, 2020

“People have always turned to poetry in moments of extremity, because poetry arises—it’s deeply sourced, it’s memorable, it’s musical, and it offers us awareness.” More

Brandon Shimoda

The PEN Pod: Conveying Collective Trauma with Brandon Shimoda

InterviewApril 28, 2020

“We’re in this moment where we’re all collectively undergoing this extraordinary trauma. . . in a way in which it’s not entirely visible.” More

Ruchika Tomar

The PEN Pod: Recalibrating Our Priorities with Ruchika Tomar

InterviewApril 10, 2020

“The desire that I’m seeing for connection is really heartening, because what we’re doing as writers is responding to human experience.” More

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PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression This Week
Scholar-Author Imani Perry on Listening Deeply, Turning 50, Writing About Historical Atrocities and Being a Mother
PEN America Calls on Cooper Union to Reopen an Exhibit on the Legacy of Vkhutemas, a Design School Shuttered by Joseph Stalin
Suspension of Virtual Library App by CA’s Orange Unified School District Is An Overreaction and Sets a Worrisome Precedent

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_richardhall Richard Hall @_richardhall ·
2h

Read our story on the DeSantis book bans ⬇️ https://twitter.com/penamerica/status/1621508379586985985

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msboismier_ela Ms. Boismier, M.Ed. @msboismier_ela ·
4 Feb

🧵4/8: This week @BKLYNlibrary & @PENamerica @jonfreadom launched the 1st session in our 4-week Freedom to Read Advocacy Institute. What struck me most in that workshop session was the craving our teen participants had for community, for connection. https://tinyurl.com/yy5ek3s5

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imaniperry Imani Perry @imaniperry ·
24h

I’m so grateful 🙏🏾💙 https://twitter.com/milescollege/status/1621903717502013442

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