PEN America and SCBWI honored me with an invitation to speak about one of the most important issues facing authors in America today: Book Bans and their aftershocks. In a few minutes, I will join fellow panelists Authors Adib Khorram and Abdi Nazemian, and moderator Phil Bildner. We will discuss how authors can navigate a shifting landscape for children’s literature and respond to this moment of book bans & censorship, while protecting & preserving their creative flow. Details on how to join this free webinar can be found here: https://pen.org/event/you-are-a-writer-status-update-book-bans-their-aftershocks/
It’s been challenging preserve a sense of hope and positivity, given that I’ve seen a drop of about 75% in the number of invitations I’ve received since Born Behind Bars was challenged. But hard as it is, I’m heartened by the organizations that are fighting back. If you are an author or educator who is facing book banning, here are some resources I’ve found helpful:
If you’re wondering how you can support others involved in the fight, here are some suggestions:
- Donate financially to efforts; here are a few I consider worthwhile in addition to those mentioned above: BPL’s Books Unbanned initiative, Florida’s Freedom To Read Project, and Every Library
- Online support is sometimes criticized as performative, but it is one visible way to lend support hashtags such as #FREADom; read blogs that amplify banned voices like PEN CYAB’s Pen Pals column and Edi Campbell’s interviews of banned authors; and online you can also follow awesome librarians who are at the forefront of this fight to preserve freedom of expression (whom I hesitate to name because of trolls and potential backlash)
- Engage with local advocacy groups and don’t give up easily (I reached out twice to a RI librarian who didn’t reply, but there are others in my state who reached out to me, like Jeannette Bradley, who organizes a local festival for children’s authors that is focused on diversity)
- Support authors, storytellers, creators and artists from BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ communities who are coming under attack (for e.g. I have long supported our Langston Hughes Poetry Festival and the RI Black Storytellers)
- Help increase book access by assisting organizations that serve children in economically disadvantaged communities who need access to books (for e.g. I have donated frequently to Books Are Wings that distributes free books to children in need)
- Join supportive communities (such as DiverseVerse online or Kweli Conference in person)
All that said, mental wellness is vital, so remember to take care of yourself. As writers, we have a duty to the world, to speak about freedom of speech; we also have a duty to honor our needs. I began to learn yoga at the age of 7 from Shri Krishnamacharya, and yoga and meditation are of great value. I now lead free sessions with a meditation group organized by Gareth Hinds and this April, I will present a keynote at a Highlights Foundation Workshop that will focus on self care for writers: https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/writing-through-trauma-to-empower-readers-a-working-in-community-retreat-for-storytellers/
To end on an entirely different note, I’m looking forward to teaching a brand new Online course at Sarah Lawrence’s Writing Institute this spring, starting in February, on Mondays, from 5 – 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Here’s the link with more details and instructions on how to sign up: https://slc.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=163&int_category_id=0&int_sub_category_id=0&int_catalog_id=0
