Press Releases
PEN America experts are available for interviews with the press. Please direct inquiries to Suzanne Trimel, Senior Advisor, Communications and Media, at [email protected].
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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
Missouri Attorney General’s Request for Journalism Professors’ Emails Is a Brazen Attack on Academic Freedom
Jeremy C. Young, senior manager of free expression and education programs at PEN America, said in response to the news: “Attorney General Schmitt's request for the emails of two… More
Arrest of Nevada Government Official in Journalist’s Killing is “Deeply Disturbing”
(NEW YORK)-- In response to the arrest of Clark County (NV) Public Administrator Robert Telles in the stabbing death of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, PEN America… More
Nineteen Writers Win Coveted Awards in 2022 Prison Writing Contest
Caits Meissner, director of PEN America's Prison and Justice Writing program, said: "This year's submissions underscore the extraordinary resilience, individuality, and indomitable artistry of writers inside prisons. These indispensable… More
PEN America Responds to Israeli Defense Force Probe in Killing of Al Jazeera Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh: “Too Little, Too Late”
Liesl Gerntholtz, director of the PEN/Barbey Freedom To Write Center at PEN America, stated: “The IDF’s investigation into the tragic shooting of Shireen Abu Akleh comes far too late… More
PEN America Condemns Sentencing of Myanmar Writer-Activist Wai Moe Naing and Calls for His Release
“The sentencing of Wai Moe Naing following months of arbitrary detention and an unfair trial blatantly flouts international judicial standards and reveals the Myanmar junta’s deliberate effort to silence… 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
Virginia State Judge Affirms First Amendment Rights in Ruling on Obscenity Lawsuit Targeting Books
“This decision is a victory for our Constitution and the vast majority of Americans who believe in preserving a free society and unfettered access to literature. The open exchange… 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