Defending the Right to Read: In Conversation with Ashley Hope Pérez
Join EveryLibrary Live! for an engaging conversation with award-winning author and educator Ashley Hope Pérez on the importance of literature and the growing issue of book bans in America. Known for her critically acclaimed novel Out of Darkness, which received a Printz Honor and the Tomás Rivera Book Award, Ashley has been at the forefront of the fight against censorship. In 2023, she joined PEN America's lawsuit against Escambia County, Florida, highlighting her commitment to this cause.
In 2025, she founded the Unite to Read Project, a two-year initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation, aimed at combating book bans and promoting access to diverse literature. Drawing from her experiences as a former high school teacher and Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, Ashley will discuss the personal and societal impacts of censorship and advocate for the reparative power of reading.
Additionally, she will share insights from her latest anthology, Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights. This bold collection features contributions from fifteen renowned young adult authors and illustrators, empowering teens to read and resist censorship. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a leading voice in the movement to protect our freedom to read.
When
March 03, 2025 at 7:00pm - 7:30pm
Where
online
Join EveryLibrary Live! for an engaging conversation with award-winning author and educator Ashley Hope Pérez on the importance of literature and the growing issue of book bans in America. Known for her critically acclaimed novel Out of Darkness, which received a Printz Honor and the Tomás Rivera Book Award, Ashley has been at the forefront of the fight against censorship. In 2023, she joined PEN America's lawsuit against Escambia County, Florida, highlighting her commitment to this cause.
In 2025, she founded the Unite to Read Project, a two-year initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation, aimed at combating book bans and promoting access to diverse literature. Drawing from her experiences as a former high school teacher and Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, Ashley will discuss the personal and societal impacts of censorship and advocate for the reparative power of reading.
Additionally, she will share insights from her latest anthology, Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights. This bold collection features contributions from fifteen renowned young adult authors and illustrators, empowering teens to read and resist censorship. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a leading voice in the movement to protect our freedom to read.
When
March 03, 2025 at 7:00pm - 7:30pm
Where
online
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