The Freedom to Write
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PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world.
[Join Us](https://pen.org/join)
The Writers Room
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PEN America was created more than 100 years ago for writers and they remain at the heart of what we do. We support them with grants, fellowships, awards, workshops, and quality public programming while defending their freedom to write.
[Opportunities for Writers & Translators](/the-writers-room/)
Featured Work
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* [Cover to Cover](https://pen.org/report/cover-to-cover/)
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* [Tell Congress: Don’t Censor America](https://pen.org/dont-censor-america/tell-congress-dont-censor-america/)
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* [Banned Books List 2025](https://pen.org/banned-books-list-2025/)
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* [The Censorship Horizon](https://pen.org/report/the-censorship-horizon/)
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* [America’s Censored Classrooms 2024](https://pen.org/report/americas-censored-classrooms-2024/)
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* [Project 2025](https://pen.org/report/project-2025/)
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Get Involved Today
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[Become a member](https://pen.org/membership/) [Donate](https://pen.org/2025-support-pen-america-web/?ms=homepagebluebutton) [Take Action](https://pen.org/action?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=takeaction) [Shop](https://pen.org/shop-pen-america-originals/) [Events](https://pen.org/events/) [Subscribe](https://pen.org/pen-america-news/)
**The Freedom to Imagine**
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“PEN America’s work, PEN America’s existence, is in many ways an assurance that writers all over the world can, perhaps even should, dare to speak.”
_– Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author_Â
What We Do
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PEN America celebrates literature and defends free expression.
* Book Bans
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/book-bans/)
* Writers at Risk Advocacy
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/writers-at-risk-advocacy/)
* Literary Awards
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/literary-awards/)
* Campus Free Speech
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/campus-free-speech/)
* Online Abuse & Digital Safety
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/online-abuse-digital-safety/)
* Literary Grants
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/literary-grants/)
* Disinformation
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/disinformation/)
* Educational Censorship
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/educational-censorship/)
* Fellowships, Workshops & Trainings
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/fellowships/)
* Prison and Justice Writing
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[Learn More](https://pen.org/prison-and-justice-writing/)
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The Latest
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Press Releases
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* [Newly Signed Wyoming Law Will Take a Battering Ram to Public Education and Government Services](https://pen.org/press-release/newly-signed-wyoming-law-will-take-a-battering-ram-to-public-education-and-government-services/)
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March 14, 2025
* [Politicians Can’t Dictate What Stories Are Told or Films Shown](https://pen.org/press-release/politicians-cant-dictate-what-stories-are-told-or-films-shown/)
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March 13, 2025
* [Congress Must Intervene to Protect Education for All, in Wake of Abrupt Layoffs at Federal Education Department](https://pen.org/press-release/pen-america-calls-on-congress-to-intervene-to-protect-education-for-all-in-wake-of-abrupt-layoffs-at-federal-education-department/)
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March 12, 2025
* [PEN America Condemns Continued Detention of Mahmoud Khalil as Retaliation Against Free Speech](https://pen.org/press-release/pen-america-condemns-continued-detention-of-mahmoud-khalil-as-retaliation-against-free-speech/)
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March 12, 2025
* [President Trump’s Comment that Tesla Protest May be Labeled “Domestic Terrorism” is the Next Step to Quash Dissent](https://pen.org/press-release/president-trumps-comment-that-tesla-protest-may-be-labelled-domestic-terrorism-is-the-next-step-to-quash-dissent-says-pen-america/)
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March 11, 2025
[View all press releases >>](https://pen.org/press-releases/)
Features & Interviews
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* [Is University Shared Governance on the Way Out? How State Legislators Are Shifting Power to Themselves](https://pen.org/is-university-shared-governance-on-the-way-out-how-state-legislators-are-shifting-power-to-themselves/)
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March 13, 2025
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* [Adib Khorram Wants to Use the Might of Romance to Fight Censorship | Shelf Love](https://pen.org/adib-khorram-shelf-love/)
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March 13, 2025
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* [PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression the Week of March 3](https://pen.org/pen-america-speaks-week-of-feb-24-2/)
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March 7, 2025
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* [Romance Can be Resistance: Kennedy Ryan On Writing Romance for the Real World | Shelf Love](https://pen.org/kennedy-ryan-shelf-love/)
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March 7, 2025
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[View all >>](https://pen.org/article-type/blog-post/)
Featured Events
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Author interviews, advocacy trainings, writers workshops, community gatherings and more.
[View All Events](https://pen.org/events/)
* [New York](https://pen.org/event-location/new-york/)
[Conversation](https://pen.org/event-type/conversation/)
You Must Take Part in Revolution: Badiucao and Melissa Chan in Conversation with James Tager
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Friday March 14
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET
P&T Knitwear Books & Podcasts
$5
**Speakers:** Badiucao, Melissa Chan, James Tager
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/you-must-take-part-in-revolution-badiucao-and-melissa-chan-in-conversation-with-james-tager/)
* [Online](https://pen.org/event-type/online/)
[Online](https://pen.org/event-type/online/)
Speak Out For Books! Testifying to State Legislative Committees
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Tuesday March 18
7:00 PM ET
Free
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/speak-out-for-books-testifying-to-state-legislative-committees/)
* [Washington, D.C.](https://pen.org/event-location/washington-d-c/)
PEN America Washington Literary Salon and Happy Hour
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Wednesday March 19
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM ET
Busboys and Poets
Free
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/pen-america-washington-literary-salon-and-happy-hour/)
* [New York](https://pen.org/event-location/new-york/)
Yoko Tawada in Conversation with Monique Truong
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Tuesday March 25
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET
Rizzoli Bookstore
Free
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/yoko-tawada-in-conversation-with-monique-truong/)
* [Online](https://pen.org/event-type/online/)
[Online](https://pen.org/event-type/online/)
Building Resilience Against Disinformation: What Comes Next?
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Wednesday March 26
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
Free
**Speakers:** Michelle Beaver, Maritza L. FĂ©lix, Jonathan Friedman, Henry Hicks, Timothy Richardson, Kurt Sampsel
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/building-resilience-against-disinformation-what-comes-next/)
* [LA](https://pen.org/event-location/la/)
[Conference](https://pen.org/event-type/conference/)
The Female Gaze: Powerful Narratives for The Times
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Saturday March 29
3:20 PM – 4:35 PM PT
Los Angeles Convention Center
Free
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/the-female-gaze-powerful-narratives-for-the-times/)
* [New York](https://pen.org/event-location/new-york/)
[Authors’ Evenings](https://pen.org/event-type/authors-evenings/)
Jennifer Finney Boylan | Authors’ Evenings
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Monday April 7
7:00 PM ET
$350
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/jennifer-finney-boylan-authors-evenings/)
* [Piedmont Region](https://pen.org/event-location/piedmont-region/)
[PEN Across America](https://pen.org/event-type/pen-across-america/)
There Is No Place For Us: A Conversation with Brian Goldstone
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Tuesday April 8
6:00 PM ET
First Lutheran Church
Free
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/there-is-no-place-for-us-a-conversation-with-brian-goldstone/)
* [Online](https://pen.org/event-type/online/)
[Online](https://pen.org/event-type/online/)
So you want to support the Freedom to Read… A Physical and Digital Safety Workshop for Organizers
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Wednesday April 16
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Free
**Speakers:** Jeje Mohamed, Madison Markham, beck Haberstroh
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/so-you-want-to-support-the-freedom-to-read-a-physical-and-digital-safety-workshop-for-organizers/)
* [New York](https://pen.org/event-location/new-york/)
[Authors’ Evenings](https://pen.org/event-type/authors-evenings/)
Elizabeth Kaufman | Authors’ Evenings
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Thursday April 24
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET
$350
[Get Tickets](https://pen.org/event/elizabeth-kaufman-authors-evenings/)
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