Pink Is Giving Away 2,000 Banned Books at Her Upcoming Concerts in Florida
Pink is known for being brash and outspoken. That’s why it’s no surprise she is partnering with the nonorganization PEN America to stand up against book bans happening in Florida. Pink will be giving out 2,000 books during her concerts November 14 and 15 in Miami and Sunrise, Florida, as a part of her Trustfall Tour. Fans will receive a copy of The Family Book by Todd Parr, The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman, Beloved by Toni Morrison, or a book from the Girls Who Code series. Pink is a self-professed lover of books and wants to use her platform to bring attention to the troubling rise in book bans specifically in Florida.
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Pink announced the partnership in an Instagram live this past weekend featuring poet Amanda Gorman.
"I’m a voracious reader, and I’m a mom of two kids who are also voracious readers," Pink explained during an Instagram live over the weekend. "And I can’t imagine my own parents telling me what my kids can and cannot read, let alone someone else’s parents, let alone someone else that doesn’t even have children that are deciding what my children can read."
This is why it's significant to give away banned books in Florida.
According to new data from PEN America, Florida has now beat out Texas as the state with the most book bans in public school libraries and classrooms than any other state in the country. There has been a 33% uptick in book bans nationally, and Florida accounts for 40% of all documented book bans in the US.
"We are thrilled to be working with P!nk on this important cause," Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read Program, shared in a press release.
Pink is also standing up for the marginalized books and authors who are often the subject of book bans.
In the PEN America press release, the singer addressed the fact that book bans often target marginalized stories and authors, saying, "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."
Book bans have become a serious issue, and it's good to have celebrities like Pink speaking up.
"This is a wave that is taking over our country, our schools, our libraries. [They] are going after books about children of color, stories of LGBTQ families, books about babies, about animals," PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said during the Instagram Live. "This is censorship in its purest form. It is meant to suppress narratives that we need here as a pluralistic society and so we have to push back."
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There is a way fans can get involved, even if they're not attending the concert.
Pink and PEN America have teamed up to create a fundraiser for the organization. In addition to making donations, supporters also can purchase an "I read banned books" sweater similar to the one the singer wore during the Instagram live or other merchandise designed for PEN America.
"Every child deserves access to literature that reflects their lives. Rampant censorship is depriving kids of the chance to see themselves in books and learn about the world and its history," Meehan said.
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