This week’s show is excerpted from a recent online panel discussion for the Sonoma County Library and Lumacon! in Northern California about efforts to ban certain books, keeping them from children or youth by removing them from libraries and schools. The panelists explore the possible motives for book bans, and explain why it’s vital for young people to have access to books that represent diversity and marginalized communities that are most frequently targeted for banning. The featured panel members were Maia Kobabe, author of “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” and Noah Grigni, illustrator of “It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity.” The panel also included two local student activists. Both the aforementioned books have been targets for banning. The discussion took place on April 9, and was sponsored by the Sonoma County Public Library. Project Censored’s Mickey Huff was the panel moderator.
Audio used by permission of event organizers and parents of the minors.