New Report: 2,500+ Book Bans Across 32 States During 2021-22 School Year
“While we think of book bans as the work of individual concerned citizens, our report demonstrates that today's wave of bans represents a coordinated campaign to banish books being… More
Words on Fire: Authors Sound Alarm to Defend Free Speech
PEN America Symposium Celebrates 100 Years of Defending Free Expression and the Power of the Written Word By Suzanne Trimel (NEW YORK) -- As leading literary luminaries gathered to celebrate PEN… More
Jenny Holzer Art Installation to Light Up Rockefeller Center Buildings with Prose in Celebration of PEN America’s 100th Birthday, Starting Wed., 9/14
The outdoor installation, titled SPEECH ITSELF, will include quotes from more than 60 authors in a visual tribute to the right to express ourselves freely. Among the authors whose… More
Against the Ruins of 9/11 21 Years Ago, Salman Rushdie Appealed to New Yorkers: “Don’t Let Fear Rule Your Life”
His Words Opened an Enduring Path to Cross-Cultural Dialogue By Suzanne Trimel (NEW YORK)—What has changed as a result of the 9/11 attacks? This has been an unceasing point for debate… More
Celebrated Authors Gather Mon., Sept. 12 for “Words on Fire: Writing, Freedom, and the Future”
MEDIA ADVISORY (NEW YORK) — PEN America presents Words on Fire: Writing, Freedom, and the Future, an afternoon of urgent public conversation on the issues that drive the world’s leading… More
Allison Lee Joins PEN America as Los Angeles Director to Drive Engagement with Writers to Defend Free Expression
Allison Lee said: “I’ve spent my career with human rights as my north star. My goal is to work closely with LA’s vibrant community of writers, screenwriters, directors, and… More
Artist Jenny Holzer to Light Up Rockefeller Center in Tribute to PEN America’s 100 Years of Defending Free Expression
Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, said: “Because her work reifies and celebrates words, there could not be an artist more fitting to celebrate PEN America’s centenary than the… More
PEN America Convenes Celebrated Authors Sept. 12 in NYC for “Words on Fire: Writing, Freedom, and the Future” Symposium
PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel says, “The murderous attack on Salman Rushdie marks a watershed moment for our organization. Coming in the middle of our 100th anniversary year, it… More
His Fellow Writers—Some Among His Closest Friends—Gather to Read Salman Rushdie’s Words and Raise His Spirits at a New York Citadel of Books
[caption id="attachment_224117" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MANHATTAN, NY, AUGUST 19, 2022 PEN America holds a rally in support of writer Salman Rushdie at the New York Public Library in Manhattan, NY.… More
In Its Centenary Year, PEN America Launches Tenth U.S. Regional Chapter in Denver on August 5
PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said: “We are grateful to add two exceptional regional advocates for free expression and open discourse in Colorado who will join the writer-to-writer solidarity… More
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Thanks to everyone who made our Saturday event, "Choosing Community," so invigorating!
ICYMI: a recording is coming soon.
Special thanks to @TamoaC @wilkinebrutus @gamarrae @EvelynPR @Laywony @anaspelaez @FlaGrassroots @sanctuary_arts @miami_freedom @VACaucus @cubanospalante.
“In many ways,” @DrIbram Kendi said, “this book banning is the latest effort for people to think that the existential threat is not #racism... the existential threat is not #sexism... the existential threat is not #transphobia... it’s just vicious, man.” https://thehilltoponline.com/2022/09/26/dr-ibram-x-kendi-and-rep-cori-bush-discuss-censorship-in-america/
Black voters matter. During #ALC51, join Yosef Getachew from @CommonCause, Candice Fortman from @media_outlier & Heather Harding from @campaignfuture at @PressClubDC in DC on 9/28 to discuss how we can empower Black voters by fighting disinformation. RSVP: http://bit.ly/3r7sScs