Dear Friends,

This morning opens a new chapter in American history. Fully absorbing the news and its implications will take time.

PEN America stands ready to play our essential role of defending free expression, elevating marginalized voices, and fostering dialogue across boundaries here at home and around the world. Our M Word programs highlighting Muslim-American writers, our landmark work on campus diversity and free speech, the PEN World Voices Festival, our advocacy to curb surveillance and defend whistleblowers, and much more will be imbued with even higher urgency going forward.

No matter how we feel about last night’s result, I hope you will join us in doubling down behind the principles and objectives that have defined PEN America for nearly a century. We cannot do it without you, and together we have our work cut out for us.

In solidarity,

Suzanne Nossel
Executive Director, PEN America