A person with short, curly dark hair poses in front of a plain beige background, wearing large hoop earrings and a black top with a light-colored accent on one shoulder.

Elly Brinkley

Staff Attorney, Free Expression Programs

Elly Brinkley is the Staff Attorney of Free Expression Programs at PEN America. Previously, she was an impact litigation intern at Housing Works and the ACLU’s Project on Speech, Privacy, and Technology. She was also a member of the Technology Law and Policy Clinic. Brinkley has been an activist and organizer for both domestic and international LGBTQ+ rights. She holds a J.D. from NYU School of Law, an A.B. in Philosophy and Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality from Harvard College, and an M.A. in Arts Politics from NYU Tisch School of the Arts.


Articles by Elly Brinkley

Black and white image of a smiling man in a suit and tie. The text reads “JIMMY Kimmel” with “CENSORED” stamped in red over “Kimmel.” Editorial credit is given at the bottom right.
U.S. Free Expression
Friday September 19

Does the First Amendment Protect Your Speech on the Job?

It’s easy for the distinction between public and private actors to get blurred when a culture of censorship and fear is so pervasive.

A grayscale image of a man in a suit with multiple semi-transparent speech bubbles and scribbles over his face. The background is black. “Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore” appears in the upper right corner.
U.S. Free Expression
Monday September 15

Charlie Kirk’s Murder Spurs McCarthy-Esque Crackdown On Free Expression

These are well-worn tactics of intimidation, designed to chill speech and exert control over the public marketplace of ideas. 

A brick entrance sign for Texas Tech University stands in front of landscaped flowers and grass, with campus buildings and trees visible in the background on a sunny day.
Educational CensorshipU.S. Free Expression
Friday March 8

Suspension of Texas Tech Professor Raises Questions About Due Process and Academic Freedom

Should a professor’s comments outside the classroom lead to his suspension and investigation as a faculty member?