According to my mother, Sandy, I was born during the month of February — Black History Month — because I was destined to make Black history.

My dad, Martin, nurtured and fed my Black consciousness. He informed my love of the written word, introducing me to authors like James Baldwin and poets like Langston Hughes.

It is because of my parents, and the expectation they set upon me to do the work of Black liberation, that I seek to be a movement builder and table shaker today.

This Black History Month, I am sitting with the words of the truth-teller and visionary James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” His words resonate with me today in our fight for progress.

This Black History Month, I am sitting with the words of Nikki Giovanni, whose collection of poems was the first I was gifted by my dad. I revisit her words often, “We are better than we think and not yet who we want to be.”

This Black History Month, I am sitting with the words of Maya Angelou, who, through her work, shared the strength of her womanhood. “People don't remember what you said or did, they remember how you made them feel.” I carry her words with me wherever I go.

I am thinking about the bold, rich history of Black excellence and liberation that is embodied in these and other Black authors. Because of my dad, their writings shaped my childhood and made me the woman I am today.

But many of our youth aren’t afforded the same opportunity. In multiple states, they are being denied the opportunity to see themselves reflected in our literature due to a coordinated wave of censorship. Republicans and far-right organizations have banned thousands of books across the country, many of which are from some of my favorite Black authors. These bans overwhelmingly target books about race, racism, and LGBTQ+ folks, all in an effort to erase and rewrite history and to further marginalize people who already face discrimination in our society.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Black history is American history. I introduced the Books Save Lives Act to confront the rise of book bans in America and protect our history, our stories, and our gifts for future generations. Their importance demands we defend them. Because bans on books are assaults on freedom and our very existence.

I’ll never stop fighting to ensure everyone can see themselves and their lived experiences reflected in our literature. If you’d like to support this work and fight to ensure every reader has access to books that celebrate Black history, you can do so here.

Yours in service,

Ayanna