This is the time of year when so many organizations come forward asking for support. PEN America’s staff and allies have worked tirelessly amid a pandemic, amid threats to free expression around the globe, to support writers and readers like you and me. 

Let’s return the favor this end-of-year season. Maybe you’ve already contributed. Maybe you’ve already made a large contribution. But trust me when I say: Every dollar matters.

With censorship forces on the march in the US and abroad, PEN America is an investment in the future of democracy and freedom.

Thank you, 






Salman Rushdie

PS — We have just a few days left to hit our final goal. Please don’t hesitate to give.

I’m writing to you today with a simple message: Defend free expression or we face extraordinary consequences.

I am no stranger to book bans. No stranger to threats on my life and livelihood. Anyone who tells you that book bans aren’t dangerous is fooling themselves. The forces of censorship and outrage are not tame or innocuous.

In the U.S., cries for book burnings and eradication of texts from shelves may merely be a prelude to showdowns over free speech and democracy in the coming year. Anyone who thought a change in U.S. leadership would quell the flames of outrage is wrong.

But PEN America fights back, standing by me and my fellow writers every step of the way. And they haven’t just been playing defense. The World Voices Festival, set to return in the spring, bridges divides and fosters difficult but fruitful conversations among writers and readers. PEN America rallies writers across the country to speak out when their books are targeted, to stand up for the right to demonstrate and the right to speak—loudly and freely.

The year ahead must be met with a passionate willingness to defend what is right. PEN America lights the way forward. Your gift means everything. Donate what you can today. I, and all the writers who count themselves among PEN America’s community, thank you deeply.

Regards, 






Salman Rushdie

PS – PEN America is running behind its 2021 goals. Anything you can contribute goes a long way.

Get More News, Events, and Updates from PEN America ›

You are receiving this e-mail because you opted in at PEN.org or a PEN America-sponsored event.

manage subscriptions | unsubscribe | contact us

Copyright © 2021 PEN America | 588 Broadway Suite 303, New York, NY 10012 USA