Wednesday, October 8, 12:00 p.m. ET

Free for members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Across the country, relentless book bans are reshaping classrooms and libraries. Titles exploring race, gender, sexuality, and history are often the first to go, leaving young readers without mirrors to see themselves—or windows into lives unlike their own. What is at stake is more than a bookshelf; it is the shaping of culture, democracy, and the imagination of future generations. Join Women’s Media Group for an urgent panel discussion on the freedom to read. Our expert panel will share insights into the fight against censorship and the power of literature to challenge and connect us. Together, we’ll explore how communities are mobilizing, what’s at stake for the next generation, and how each of us can play a part.

This special program takes place during Banned Books Week, which highlights the value of free and open access to information.

About the panelists:

Meg Medina is a former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and the author of the Newbery Medal winner and Kirkus Prize finalist Merci Suárez Changes Gears, as well as its sequels, Merci Suárez Can’t Dance and Merci Suárez Plays It Cool. She is the author of the young adult novels Burn Baby Burn, which was long-listed for the National Book Award, short-listed for the Kirkus Prize, and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, winner of a Pura Belpré Author Award; and The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind, a Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, Meg’s work examines how cultures and identity intersect through the eyes of young people, and she brings audiences stories that speak to both what is culturally specific and what is universal. Her favorite protagonists are strong girls. When she is not writing, Meg works on community projects that support girls, Latino youth, and literacy. She lives with her family in Richmond, Virginia.

Rosalie (Rosie) Stewart is Senior Manager of Public Policy at Penguin Random House. A skilled grassroots organizer with a passion for youth, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and championing the freedom to read, Rosie has extensive experience working at the federal, state, and local levels on issues including appropriations, intellectual freedom, and voting access. Most recently, she served as Manager of Grassroots Communications for the American Library Association’s Public Policy and Advocacy (ALA PPA) Office, managing the OneClickPolitics program and Congressional Fly-In events. Prior to her time at ALA, Rosie spearheaded the inaugural funding cycle of a capacity-building grant program for Interior Design focused on membership expansion and contract lobbying projects. She also co-founded MOVE (Mobilize, Organize, Vote, Empower) Texas, an organization focused on empowering underrepresented youth communities through civic engagement, issue advocacy, and leadership development. Rosie holds a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and is also a graduate of the University of Texas, San Antonio. She is based in Washington, DC.

About the moderator:

Emily Drabinski is Associate Professor and Chair of the School of Information at Queens College, CUNY. She served as 2023-24 President of the American Library Association during a time of unprecedented organized attacks on library workers and the right to read.

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.