Dear Deborah,
Just a few weeks ago, I had the honor of celebrating Toni Morrison at PEN America’s 2019 LitFest Gala in Los Angeles. Toni was a long-time PEN America member, dedicated to her fellow writers and the cause of literature.
I like to think of her as a literary lioness.
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PEN America amplifies voices like Toni’s that need to be heard. Toni shared her wisdom, talent and truth with the world, but first and foremost she was unreservedly and unapologetically Black. In her characters, I could see my own family and I could see myself, validating my very existence. Protecting writing like Toni’s—and the access to such writing—is what makes PEN America’s work crucial.
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Supporting PEN America means supporting writers and their freedom to create and express their views, as well as ensuring unobstructed access to the views, ideas, and literature of others for all people. This free expression allows us to access new ideas, new points of view, and, for many, affords them the chance to see themselves for the first time.
Will you join me in making a donation to PEN America, celebrating the impact of essential writing like Toni’s?
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Your gift will enable PEN to elevate voices like Toni’s, ensuring free expression for writers and artists around the world.
If we have to live in a world without Toni Morrison, I am glad organizations like PEN are around to lift up writers following in her footsteps.
Thank you for your support,
LeVar Burton
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