BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//sebbo.net//ical-generator//EN NAME:DC Public Library X-WR-CALNAME:DC Public Library BEGIN:VEVENT UID:ce445e8b-2834-4da1-be8a-59f6d207d8df SEQUENCE:0 DTSTAMP:20260802T142423Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240922T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240922T170000 SUMMARY:Banned Books Week: Shelved Voices LOCATION:Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library\nMartin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Martin Luther King Jr. Mem orial Library - Central Library;X-APPLE-RADIUS=10;X-TITLE=Martin Luther Ki ng Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library:geo:38.8986823,-77.024871 GEO:38.8986823;-77.024871 DESCRIPTION:Kick off Banned Books Week 2024 with DC Public Library and The Aspen Institute Arts Program with Kwame Alexander and W. Kamau Bell..\nht tps://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/11652664 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

The Aspen Institute Arts Program in partnership with Kwame Alexander\, W. Kamau Bell and th e DC Public Library and DC Public Library Foundation presents\,&n bsp\;&ldquo\;Shelved Voices: How Book Censorship &\; Bans Impact Everyo ne\, Everywhere\,&rdquo\; \;at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Lib rary Auditorium in Washington\, D.C. This program kicks off Banned Books W eek 2024 with three segments exploring the history of book banning\, the c urrent state of literary access in the US\, and how we might catalyze insp iration for protecting and expanding access to the written word for all re aders. Featuring conversations with policy experts\, librarians\, authors\ , students\, and advocates on the frontlines\, this program highlights wha t&rsquo\;s happening in regions where censorship is both prominent and sub tle. In-person attendees will also have an opportunity to submit questions during both panel sessions.

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This event is free\, but registration is required for both in-person (limited space available) and livestream. Livestream details will be provided via email ahead of the event to regist ered attendees.

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Be sure to visit the Library before the program fo r an opportunity to purchase a book for donation to a contested library fr om a pop-up store by People&rsquo\;s Book \;in Takoma Park\, a local b ookstore just outside Washington. People&rsquo\;s Book sales begin at 1 p. m. Program begins promptly at 1:45 p.m. and concludes by 5 p.m.\; see the agenda below for details.

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For reasonable accommodations\, please contact the Center for Accessibility at 202-727-2142 or DCPLaccess@ dc.gov. For ASL or tactile interpretation\, please allow at least seven (7 ) days notice.

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Agenda

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  • Student Spotlight: Edha Gupta\, student\, University of Pittsburgh\, co-author (forthcoming ) Fighting Censorship: A Handbook for Pushing Back on Book Bans
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  • Panel II: Resistance on the Frontlines:\n
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    • Modera ted by #1 New York Times bestselling author and Emmy-award-winning produce r Kwame Alexander
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    • Antonio Gonzalez Cerna\, Executive Director\, Marketing\, Levine Querido
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    • Tiffany Jewell\, author\, This Book i s Antiracist
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    • Amanda Jones\, Librarian (Louisiana)\, anti-censors hip activist\, author of That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America
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    • Carisa Lopez\, Deputy Director\, Texas Freedom Network< /li>\n
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  • Closing Session: Kwame Alexander and W. Kamau Bell reflecting on the past\, present\, and future of literar y access.
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    Speaker Bios

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    Panel 1

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    < em>(Moderator) W. Kamau Bell \;is a stand-up com edian\, television host\, director\, and producer. He won three Emmy award s for his CNN series\, United Shades of America. Kamau also won a Peabody award for his four-part docuseries\, We Need To Talk About Cosby. His newe st project is the HBO documentary\, 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed. Kamau&rsqu o\;s first book has the easy-to-remember title\, The Awkward Thoughts of W . Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4"\, African American\, Heterosexual\, Cisgend er\, Left-Leaning\, Asthmatic\, Black and Proud Blerd\, Mama's Boy\, Dad\, and Stand-Up Comedian. His second book was the New York Times Bestseller Do The Work: An Antiracism Activity Book. He is on the board of directors of DonorsChoose\, and he is the ACLU&rsquo\;s celebrity ambassador for rac ial justice. Kamau and his wife Melissa Hudson Bell are the co-founders of Who Knows Best Productions\, a media production company in Oakland\, Cali fornia.

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    Robert Corn-Revere \;is Chief Counsel for the Foundati on for Individual Rights and Expression ("FIRE"). \; He has practiced First Amendment law for 40 years\, joining FIRE in 2023. \; Before tha t\, Corn-Revere was a partner in the Washington D.C. office of Davis Wrigh t Tremaine LLP\, where he was a partner for 20 years specializing in freed om of expression and communications law. Before his time at DWT\, he was a partner at Hogan &\; Hartson in Washington\, D.C. \; From 1989 to 1994\, Corn-Revere served as legal advisor and later chief counsel to Fede ral Communications Commission Chairman James H. Quello. \;

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    Bef ore joining FIRE full-time\, Corn-Revere was a volunteer on FIRE&rsquo\;s Advisory Council. He also served as outside counsel for FIRE&rsquo\;s  \;Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project\, successfully litigating on beha lf of college students and faculty whose First Amendment rights were viola ted. Shortly before coming to FIRE\, Corn-Revere defeated an attempt in Vi rginia Beach\, VA to have certain books declared obscene. \; He is a p revious board member of the Freedom to Read Foundation.

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    Corn-Rever e is regularly listed as a leading First Amendment and media law practitio ner by The Best Lawyers in America\, SuperLawyers Washington\, D.C.\, and by Chambers USA. Best Lawyers in America named him as Washington\, D.C.&rs quo\;s 2017 &ldquo\;Lawyer of the Year&rdquo\; in the areas of First Amend ment Law and Litigation &ndash\; First Amendment. He was again named as Be st Lawyers&rsquo\; \; &ldquo\;Lawyer of the Year&rdquo\; for First Ame ndment Law for 2019 and 2021\, and in Media Law for 2022. \; In 2023 h e was listed in Washingtonian Magazine's Top Lawyers Hall of Fame for Life time Achievement.

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    Christina Ellis \; is a 20-year-old African-Caribbean American activist and college student a t The Pennsylvania State University in her 3rd year. She is double majorin g in Biological Sciences and Spanish. She was the former Vice-President of a club called the Panther Anti-Racist Union\, better known as PARU. She a nd PARU\, worked together to reverse a book ban that the Central York Scho ol District placed on books/resources that promoted diversity and inclusio n. At Christina's alma mater\, Central York High School\, she helped to or ganize a peaceful protest that advocated reversing the ban. Christina and others now work to continue to educate others on the importance of diversi ty education and inclusion within her community. She co-founded EmpowerED\ , an online safe space for students to connect and help each other with is sues threatening their safety and education. Christina hopes to go to medi cal school\, become a bilingual doctor\, and advocate for minorities in me dicine.

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    Jill Murphy \;is Chief Conte nt Officer at Common Sense Media and serves as a strategic leader within t he organization. Jill joined Common Sense in January 2005\, built the edit orial department with founding editor-in-chief Liz Perle. She oversees the ratings and reviews for all media channels including movies\, streaming\, TV\, games\, websites\, apps\, and books. She also oversees the content s trategy and development for parenting advice. Jill also works closely with content partners including SkyUK\, Hulu\, Charter\, DirecTV\, Comcast\, N etflix\, Target.com\, ATT\, and more to further leverage the library of Co mmon Sense Media reviews and advice.

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    In her time with Common Sense Media\, Jill has been instrumental in evolving our ratings\, reviews\, an d advice to keep up with where parents are. She has overseen the creation of our For Your Family recommendation engine\, worked to refine and enhanc e the rating process\, and continues to ensure the latest research on kids and media is incorporated into Common Sense advice and reviews. She has b een involved in countless product launches\, all while keeping the team on schedule to produce thousands of new reviews and hundreds of recommendati on lists\, each year.

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    Jill's commitment to Common Sense affords he r the opportunity to help families avoid the TV shows she is devoted to. S he serves as the resident expert on any and all reality TV\, late '80s/'90 s sitcoms\, and other useless pop culture trivia that she claims is "for w ork." Jill holds a BA from San Francisco State University in broadcast and electronic communication arts\, with an emphasis on writing and media lit eracy.

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    Lauren Wells\, Ph.D. \;is an educator\, researcher\, and community organizer whose work centers on comp rehensive\, systemic\, culturally responsive\, and collaborative approache s to educational and social change. She began her work in education over t wenty years ago while an undergraduate student at Temple University. Her e xperiences as high school teacher led her on a quest to create schools tha t are designed to work for and elevate Black and Brown students and their communities. Lauren is trained in qualitative research and uses an interdi sciplinary approach to understanding the social problems confronting commu nities and schools. She applies this approach not only to the work of scho ol transformation\, but also to transforming how communities\, educators\, and policymakers think about\, approach\, and engage in educational and s ocial transformation. Wells has been at the forefront of education policy and transformation in New Jersey for over 15 years. In 2009\, Lauren becam e the Director of the Broader Bolder Approach to Education at the Metropol itan Center for Urban Education at New York University (NYU) where she the led the design and implementation of a major school reform initiative in Newark called the &ldquo\;Newark Global Village School Zone.&rdquo\; This reform has had a lasting impact on the Central High School\, one of Newark &rsquo\;s comprehensive high schools. She has served as Chief Education Of ficer for Mayor Ras Baraka in the City of Newark\, where she led education policy and developed initiatives on behalf of the City\, and a professor of education at the University of Southern California\, Montclair State Un iversity\, and American University. She is currently an Assistant Professo r at Kean University. In 2016\, Lauren founded Creed Strategies\, LLC to c reate a community of consultants whose core mission is to use their knowle dge\, experience\, and resources to work alongside educators and communiti es to ignite conditions for equity and justice. Lauren has worked in schoo l districts across the nation on educational equity and school transformat ion as well as with philanthropy\, nonprofit organizations\, and public ad vocacy. A committed community advocate\, Lauren serves on several boards a nd participates in community coalitions. From 2014 to 2019\, Lauren was ch air of the Newark Youth Policy Board. Lauren is currently entering her fou rth term as President of the Newark Public Library Board. Lauren received a BA in English from Temple University\, an MA in Educational Leadership f rom Teachers College\, Columbia University\, and a Ph.D. in Educational Po licy from the University of California Los Angeles. She is the author of T here Are No Deficits Here: Disrupting Anti-Blackness in Education publishe d by Corwin Press.

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    Panel 2

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    (Moderator) Kwame Alexander \;is a poet\, educator\, Emmy-winning produce r and #1 \;New York Times \;bestselling author of 41 books\, inclu ding the upcoming release \;Black Star\, the second installment of his  \;The Door of No Return \;trilogy\, \;This Is The Honey: An A nthology of Contemporary Black Poets\, \;Why Fathers Cry at Night\,&nb sp\;An American Story\, \;Becoming Muhammad Ali \;(co-authored wit h James Patterson)\, \;Rebound\, which was shortlisted for the prestig ious UK Carnegie Medal\, and \;The Undefeated\, the National Book Awar d nominee\, Newbery Honor\, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book illus trated by Kadir Nelson. Kwame is also the Emmy-winning Executive Producer\ , Showrunner\, and Writer of \;The Crossover \;TV series\, based o n his Newbery-Medal winning novel of the same name\, which premiered on&nb sp\;Disney+ \;in April 2023. He regularly shares his passion for liter acy\, books and the craft of writing around the world at events like the&n bsp\;Edinburgh Book Festival\, \;Aspen Ideas\, and the Global Literacy Symposium in Ghana\, where he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Li brary and Health Clinic in Ghana. Most recently he was appointed the Rudel l Artistic Director of Literary Arts and Writer-in-Residence at the Chauta uqua Institution. His mission is to change the world\, one word at a time.  \;

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    Antonio Gonzalez Cerna \;is the Executive Director of Marketing and Publicity at Levine Querido. With nearly two decades of experience\, he has crafted successful marketing\, a dvertising\, and social media campaigns for prominent book publishers like Hachette Book Group\, Penguin Books USA\, and Scholastic. His expertise e xtends beyond publishing\, as evidenced by his work with non-profit organi zations such as the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Lambda Literary Founda tion. A dedicated advocate for diversity\, inclusion\, and equality\, Cern a has played key roles in organizations like the Children&rsquo\;s Book Co uncil's Diversity Committee and Latinx in Publishing. Outside of work\, he enjoys graphic novels\, graffiti\, and guacamole.

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    Tif fany Jewell \;(she/her) is an educator\, mama\, and #1&n bsp\;New York Times \;bestselling author of \;This Book Is Anti-Ra cist\, \;The Antiracist Kid\, and \;Everything I Learned About Rac ism I Learned In School. She has been working with children and families f or over two decades and enjoys exploring social justice with young folks a nd working with educators supporting them building strong authentic commun ities in which every child can be seen and valued. Tiffany is committed to centering and empowering children and their caregivers and working to abo lish systems that perpetuate violence and oppression to communities of the global majority and those that have been systematically exploited and mar ginalized. She lives on the homeland of the Pocumtuc\, Nonotuck\, and the Nipmuck with her two young storytellers\, husband\, a small dog with a big personality\, and a turtle she&rsquo\;s had since she was nine years old.

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    Amanda Jones \;is a 24 year teacher -librarian and grassroots organizer in Louisiana on the frontlines fightin g against censorship in libraries. She is the 2021 National Librarian of t he Year as presented by \;School Library Journal \;\, a 2021 \ ;Library Journal \;Mover and Shaker\, and the 2020 Louisiana School Li brarian of the Year. \; Amanda has won numerous intellectual freedom a wards\, is a founding member of Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship\, an d is the author of &ldquo\;That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America.&rdquo\; \;

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    Carisa Lopez \;grew up in Garland\, TX and moved to Austin in 2010 to attend the Un iversity of Texas where she graduated with a B.A. in Government. Carisa go t her start in community activism in college where she worked with the Tex as Freedom Network&rsquo\;s student chapter at UT to organize her fellow s tudents and register them to vote. Immediately after graduation she was in vited to serve on TFN&rsquo\;s Board of Directors and work for the Texas D emocratic Party on their fundraising and events team. She has since organi zed union members and lobbied the Texas legislature for workers rights wit h the Texas State Employee&rsquo\;s Union and served as the Executive Dire ctor for the Travis County Democratic Party where she ran the 2016 Coordin ated Campaign. She currently serves as the Deputy Director for the organiz ation that started it all for her\, the Texas Freedom Network.Carisa has d edicated her career to electing progressive champions and working on progr essive policies that will make a real impact on Texans lives. She currentl y lives in Austin with her three dogs.

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    Student Spotlight

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    Edha Gupta \;is a 20-year-old activist who served as the president of the Panther Anti-Racist Union during the 2021-2 022 school year. Edha\, fellow officers\, and advisors successfully protes ted a school board decision to ban over 300+ books on diversity education throughout the Central York School District. Through activism and advocacy \, Edha worked with her peers to promote diversity and inclusion in their school and community. By sharing the power of her story as an Indian-Ameri can\, Edha hopes to inspire young activists to make a difference through i mpactful change\, resulting in memorable and long-lasting change in educat ion and throughout the country. Edha has co-founded an organization named EmpowerED with a few of her peers\, with the mission to aid students acros s the country who are combating similar attacks on their education. She is also a junior at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Neuroscience mi noring in Sociology\, and she hopes to advocate for equity in medicine in her future.

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    The DC Public Library Foundation partners with the DC Public Library to enhance W ashington\, DC&rsquo\;s public libraries\, bringing private philanthropy t ogether with government support to ensure that our libraries deliver the h ighest quality of service to the District&rsquo\;s residents. With the hel p of many generous people\, the Foundation provides educational programs f or children and youth\, workforce development training\, cultural events\, and collection enhancements for DC&rsquo\;s libraries.

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