Stopping the Book Bans in Florida!
Join the League of Women Voters Jacksonville First Coast virtually on Wednesday, December 3rd at Noon to learn more about PEN America's work to protect free expression in the United States and specifically, Florida.
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We'll learn more about the methods of pushing back against Florida's process of banning books and how to have books returned to school library shelves.
HB 1069, passed in 2023, is the Florida law that expanded the existing mechanisms used to challenge and remove books from K-12 public schools, specifically targeting any book that "depicts or describes sexual conduct," and mandating that books be removed immediately upon objection. PEN America previously called this law a "grave assault" on the freedom to read in Florida, and identified its incurable constitutional flaws.
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
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Our Guest Speakers
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William Johnson
Director of PEN America's Florida Office
A longtime steward in the writing community, Johnson was the editor and publisher of Mary Literary, a literary magazine committed to showcasing work of artistic integrity. He also co-produced Nepantla: A Journal Dedicated to Queer Poets of Color, the first major anthology for queer poets of color in the United States. In 2011, Johnson began his tenure at Lambda Literary, an organization dedicated to promoting LGBTQ literature. As the deputy director of Lambda Literary, Johnson oversaw many of the organization's most dynamic programs and public events, including the Writer's Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices and Lambda's web magazine, the Lambda Literary Review.
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Sophia Brown
Program Coordinator at PEN America's Florida Office
Sophia supports PEN America's work on free expression and academic freedom in her home state. She's a recent graduate of the New College of Florida, where she acted as a student journalist and former Editor in Chief of the institution's student-run newspaper. She's also a founding member of the nonprofit journalism education initiative, Old School Catalyst, and a recipient of the 2022 Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award.
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Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 12:00 PM (Noon)
Virtual Event
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League of Women Voters Jacksonville First Coast
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