Literary and human rights nonprofit PEN America is hosting a Freedom to Read Student Summit at Pasadena City College for local high school students next Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 4:30pm-6:30pm in recognition of Banned Books Week 2023. I lead PEN America's student programs and we are doing some outreach to promote our event among local teachers and counselors in the area.

 

This event will be a great opportunity for student creatives, activists, journalists, and allies to come learn about the book banning controversies sweeping the country, and discuss practical ways to advocate against censorship and celebrate diverse literature. Getting involved with PEN America too is also a great booster for college apps as we offer many free certification and leadership programs for high schoolers!