[ [link removed] ]Ayanna Pressley for Congress

I count Toni
Morrison and Maya Angelou among my favorite writers. As a survivor of
childhood sexual abuse, it was when I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
that I knew I wasn’t alone. For many of us, the same books that have been
banned by Republicans and right wing groups have been a source of comfort
and solidarity in difficult times.

That’s just one reason I’m raising the alarm about the coordinated wave of
censorship we’re seeing in our schools and libraries. Many of our youth
are being denied the opportunity to see themselves reflected in our
literature due to harmful and discriminatory book bans. In Massachusetts
alone, the number of book challenges has quadrupled since 2021.

Thousands of books across the country have been the target of
Republican-led book bans. These bans overwhelmingly target books about
race and LGBTQ+ identity in an effort to erase and rewrite history. To
whitewash our libraries and public schools. To further isolate people who
are already marginalized.

I introduced the Books Save Lives Act to confront the rise of book bans to
help protect our history, our stories, and our gifts for future
generations. The removal of books uplifting marginalized perspectives
contributes to a hostile environment for vulnerable students, hindering
people from learning about diversity and reinforcing harmful biases and
stereotypes. [ [link removed] ]These books matter – and their importance demands that we
come together and defend them. With my Books Save Lives Act, we can do
exactly that. Add your name as a grassroots co-sponsor of this bill.

ADD YOUR NAME

As students head back to school and teachers prepare reading lists, I
think about the books they won’t have access to, the stories they aren’t
allowed to discover. When I say that books save lives, I mean it. They
open doors. They help people feel seen. And any work in defense of books
is life-saving work.

[ [link removed] ]If you agree that every reader has a right to free access to
information and public education, where they can be greeted by books that
reflect the diversity of lived experiences in their neighborhoods and
around the world, add your name to become a grassroots co-sponsor of the
Books Save Lives Act.

Onward,

Ayanna





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