Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 
4:00PM EST
Register for Defending the Freedom to Read virtual event at  this link. Attendance is free.

You’re invited! Join the Freedom to Read Foundation for a timely and powerful conversation about book bans, intellectual freedom, and why the right to read matters now more than ever.

Award-winning Author and Librarian Jarrett Dapier - whose upcoming graphic novel Wake Now in the Fire , is inspired by real-life student activism against censorship - will be in conversation with Educator and Organizer Nora Flanagan. The event will be moderated by Joyce McIntosh of the Freedom to Read Foundation.  

Together, the panel will explore what happens when books are challenged, how censorship impacts young readers and communities, and the vital role librarians, educators, publishers, and advocates play in defending access to information. The discussion will also spotlight the real students and organizers who have pushed back against book bans - and what we can learn from their courage. The event will end with a time for Q&A. 

As a long-standing supporter of the Freedom to Read Foundation, Penguin Random House is committed to standing against book bans and censorship in all their forms. We believe that stories foster empathy, understanding, and connection, and that every reader deserves the freedom to choose books that reflect their lives, challenge their thinking, and expand their world. Supporting readers means protecting the books that help them feel seen, heard, and empowered.

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit legal and educational organization that is dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read and the right of library workers to serve the information needs of their community. Since 1969 FTRF trustees, staff, and members have worked to protect First Amendment rights through education, litigation, and advocacy. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit https://www.ftrf.org .

Register for Defending the Freedom to Read virtual event at this link. Attendance is free.