Media Advisory
(WASHINGTON)— To mark Banned Books Week, PEN America will host public conversations in Austin and Dallas, TX with author and NBC News investigative reporter Mike Hixenbaugh, and local and national advocates for the freedom to read. Joining the program in both cities will be Matt Nosanchuk, the U.S. Department of Education’s deputy assistant secretary who leads the Biden administration’s response to the unprecedented rise of school library and classroom content restrictions that can violate the civil rights of students.
Nosanchuk, whose work is carried out through the department’s Office for Civil Rights, advocates to ensure the freedom to read is upheld for students nationwide through civil rights enforcement.
He will join events hosted by PEN America chapters on 9/25 in Austin and 9/26 in Dallas. The Austin event starts at 7 p.m. at Austin Central Library (710 W Cesar Chavez St.) and the Dallas event begins at 7:30 p.m. at Bishop Arts Theatre Center in Dallas (215 S Tyler St.). Doors open 30 minutes before the start of each event.
More details here.
Mike Hixenbaugh will discuss his new book, They Came for the Schools: One Town’s Fight Over Race and Identity and the New War for America’s Classrooms. The book examines the powerful forces driving the nationwide crusade to ban books and restrict what is taught in schools.
The Austin event will include Frank Strong, co-founder of the Texas Freedom to Read Project, and Texas librarian and co-founder of #Freadom Fighters, Becky Calzada. PEN America’s Freedom to Read program director, Kasey Meehan, will moderate the panel. A Q&A with the audience will be followed by a reception.
The conversation at the Dallas event will include Kelly Jensen of Book Riot, a former librarian, author, and advocate who writes about censorship as well as Laney Hawes, fellow co-founder of the Texas Freedom to Read Project and Texas parent. The discussion will be moderated by noted Dallas author and PEN Dallas Chapter leader Sanderia Faye.
Bios of the participants and details on the events are available on the PEN America Banned Books Week events webpage.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write and recognize the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], 201-247-5057