Accordion Test

• Banned Books Week in Conversation on Oct. 4 at 8pm ET on Instagram Live (@banned_books_week), join Banned Books Week Honorary Chair LeVar Burton and Youth Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels for a live discussion!
• Let Freedom Read Day (Oct. 7)
• Promotional Tools
• Banned Books Week Event Calendar
• #ReadWithLove
• Top 10…err…13 most banned books

The Banned Books Week Coalition is an international alliance of diverse organizations joined by a commitment to increase awareness of the annual celebration of the freedom to read. The Coalition seeks to engage various communities and inspire participation in Banned Books Week through education, advocacy, and the creation of programming about the problem of book censorship.

The Banned Books Week Coalition includes American Booksellers for Free Expression, American Library Association, Association of University Presses, Banned Books Week Sweden (a collaboration between Sweden PEN and the Dawit Isaak Library), Children’s Book Council, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Freedom to Read Foundation, Little Free Library, National Book Foundation, National Coalition Against Censorship, National Council of Teachers of English, PEN America, People for the American Way Foundation, and PFLAG. Contributors include American Society of Journalists and Authors, Authors Guild, Index on Censorship, GLAAD, and Project Censored. Banned Books Week is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and receives generous support from HarperCollins and Penguin Random House.

LeVar Burton, Honorary Chair

LeVar Burton is an actor, director, producer, and podcaster whose decades-long work includes Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Reading Rainbow. He is the honored recipient of seven NAACP Awards, a Peabody, a Grammy, and 15 Emmys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Inaugural Children’s & Family Emmys.

As a lifelong literacy advocate, Burton has dedicated decades to encouraging children to read. In 2023, Burton premiered his first documentary, The Right to Read, a film that positions the literacy crisis in America as a civil rights issue. The Right to Read was officially selected at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and SXSW Edu.

Burton continues to exercise his passion for storytelling as the award-winning author of Aftermath, The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, and A Kids Book About Imagination. He launched his first book club with Fable, a digital book club community, and partnered with Masterclass to share the power of storytelling.

His production company, LeVar Burton Entertainment (LBE), develops projects in the film, television, podcasting, and publishing space to share stories that foster empathy, champion diversity, and build community.

Now in its 12th season, the enormously popular LeVar Burton Reads podcast has over 175 episodes in its catalog, boasting 25 million downloads.  LBE’s first Kids & Family podcast, Sound Detectives, will debut on Stitcher in November 2023.

As a pop culture icon, Burton has the unique ability to reach all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic groups, communicating to a large fan base that is highly engaged and motivated to embrace his message.

Da’Taeveyon Daniels, Youth Honorary Chair

Da’Taeveyon Daniels is a high school senior hailing from the vibrant state of Texas. At the forefront of student advocacy, Da’Taeveyon is a passionate champion of student rights and intellectual freedom. With two Student Advocates for Speech chapters in Texas under his leadership, he embodies unwavering dedication to his cause.

Daniels’s journey into the realm of activism attracted significant attention as a result of his passionate advocacy on the Texas House floor. Adding to his impressive repertoire, Daniels serves as the Partnership Director at Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT), where his visionary involvement has sparked movements against censorship and redefined the landscape of youth activism in Texas.

Venturing beyond state borders, Daniels’s influence expanded nationally as he took on the role of Southwest Regional Director at the Youth Legislative Action Center (YLAC). He spearheads initiatives that amplify student engagement in legislative processes and pave the way for an empowered generation of informed change-makers throughout the southwestern United States.

Daniels is the youngest acting member of the Advisory Council for the National Coalition Against Censorship. His unique insights into emerging youth trends and issues provide invaluable perspectives to the forefront of our nation’s free speech advocacy. With an unwavering commitment to fostering positive change and a remarkable track record of accomplishments, Daniels stands as a beacon of inspiration and leadership in the realm of youth activism and advocacy.