3 Reasons Why I'm Raising My Voice for Banned Books Week

Censorship silences more than stories — here’s why I’m using my voice for the books that need it most.

Every fall, libraries, teachers, and readers across the country come together to celebrate Banned Books Week—a time to honor the freedom to read and to stand up against censorship. This year’s theme, “Freedom to Read,” feels especially urgent as more and more books—especially those by Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ authors—find themselves under attack.

I had the privilege of participating in a local Freedom to Read event, where community members gathered to share short readings from books that have been challenged or banned. Each reader chose a passage that spoke to the power of literature to inspire empathy, courage, and understanding.

This was the third time I have participated in reading in public. The first time, I read a passage from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and last year I read a chilling excerpt from The Handmaid's Tale about the slow loss of women's freedoms described by the author Margaret Atwood. I wrote about my experience in 2023, "I Celebrated My Right to Read a Banned Book - You Should Too."

1. Because Silence Helps Censorship Win

It’s tempting to think, “It’s just a few books,” or “That doesn’t affect me.” But every book banned or challenged chips away at the bigger idea of who gets to decide what we can think, read, or discuss. When we stay quiet, censorship creeps in quietly too.

Reading aloud from a banned or challenged book—especially in public—is a small but powerful act of resistance. It says, “You can’t erase this voice.” Voices that need to be heard.

2. Because Words Still Have Power

For my reading, I chose Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb.” You probably remember her radiant presence at President Biden’s inauguration—her words filled the moment with hope and courage. Yet, incredibly, her poem has been challenged in some Florida schools.

Standing at the microphone and reading her lines, I felt both proud and defiant:

When I spoke those words aloud, I could feel the energy in the audience shift. People nodded, smiled; I teared up. In that moment, Amanda Gorman’s poem reminded us all that language still has the power to move hearts—and that’s exactly why it’s worth defending.

3. Because Freedom to Read Means Freedom to Think

Banned Books Week isn’t really about the books—it’s about the freedom to explore ideas, to understand experiences different from our own, and to question the world around us. The stories being censored most often today are by authors of color, LGBTQ+ writers, and those telling hard truths about history and identity. Protecting those stories protects our shared humanity.

So this week, I’m encouraging everyone to pick up a banned book. Read it. Share it. Talk about it. Read it with your kids. Read it out loud at the park if you want to. Because every time we open one of these books, we help keep the light on for someone else.

Because Amanda Gorman was right: we are the light—especially when we refuse to let others dim it.

What to Read for Banned Books Week

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are a few powerful reads from our Freedom to Read Rally. These have found themselves on a banned list at one time or another:

• Push by Sapphire —  powerful novel about Precious Jones, a sixteen-year-old girl in Harlem who has endured extreme abuse.

• Flamer by Mike Curato — coming-of-age graphic novel about Aiden Navarro, a Filipino American teen navigating the challenges of identity, masculinity, and sexuality.

• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison — raw, beautiful, and unflinching.

• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss - a children's book with an important environmental message.

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury — the classic about book banning in a possible future.

Pick one. Read it. Talk about it. Attend school board meetings to support students' freedom to read. Support your local library by checking out these titles and recommending them to others.

That’s how freedom stays alive—one story, one reader, one brave voice at a time.

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