Writing, Literature, and Language Department Fall Gathering
Co-sponsored by Metro State Library and Information Services
“Why Your Voice Matters, Even–And Especially–As Censorship Increases”
with Guest Speaker Kelly Jensen
Thursday, November 16, 2023
4:00pm-6:00pm
In-person and virtual event
LIB Ecolab 302
Food and beverages will be served
This talk digs into the current landscape of censorship, including some of the organizations behind the movement and the major targets of the book banners. This will include a look at the kinds of books being challenged and banned, while also encouraging writers to keep sharing their stories loudly and proudly.
In-person attendees can check out books from the pop-up banned books library!
Kelly Jensen is an Editor at Book Riot, the largest independent book website in North America. She covers all things young adult literature and has written about censorship for nearly ten years. She is the author of three critically-acclaimed and award-winning anthologies for young adults on the topics of feminism, mental health, and the body. She was named a person of the year in 2022 by Publishers Weekly and a Chicagoan of the year in 2022 by the Chicago Tribune for her anti-censorship work. She has also earned commendation from the American Association of School Librarians for her censorship coverage. Prior to her work at Book Riot, she was a public librarian for children, teens, and adults in several libraries in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. She is currently enrolled in a clinical mental health counseling master's program to bolster her work with mental health.