P!nk Is Giving Away 2,000 Banned Books at Her Florida Tour Stops: ‘I Am Unwilling to Stand by and Watch’
In an effort to raise awareness — and a middle finger — to the growing number of book bans in Florida libraries and school districts, P!nk will give away 2,000 copies of banned books during her stadium tour stops in the Sunshine State.
“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” P!nk said in a statement Monday. “It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color.
“We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed,” she continued. “This is why I am supporting PEN America in its work and why I agree with them: no more banned books.”
P!nk’s Florida dates kick off Tuesday night in Miami at the Kaseya Center. The pop superstar then has three more Florida stops in the 2023 Trustfall Tour: Wednesday in Sunrise and then Saturday and Sunday in Orlando.
The book giveaway will take place in Miami and Sunrise and will include four books that have appeared in PEN America’s Index of Banned Books: “The Family Book” by Todd Parr, “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison and a book from “Girls Who Code,” founded by Reshma Saujani.
“We are thrilled to be working with P!nk on this important cause,” Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read Program, said in a statement. P!nk teamed up with the free expression organization and local bookseller Books & Books for the initiative.
“Every child deserves access to literature that reflects their lives,” Meehan said. “Rampant censorship is depriving kids of the chance to see themselves in books and learn about the world and its history.”
Per a new report form PEN America, book bans are up 33% in the U.S., with Florida specifically accounting for more than 40% of all documented bans — far and away the state with the most bans.
The same report determined that books by LGBTQ+ and Black authors and books that explore related themes are disproportionately banned in the state.
First making the announcement in an Instagram Live interview with Instagram live with PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel and New York Times #1 bestselling author Amanda Gorman, P!nk further encouraged fans to visit pen.org/pink for more information on book bans and how to combat the policies that enact them.
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