Banned: Censorship and Intellectual Freedom

Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum in partnership with the Seattle Public Library presents a panel discussion  exploring censorship and intellectual freedom and the challenges faced by librarians and schools.

Moderated by Folio librarian Lillian Dabney, the panel will share first hand accounts from challenged authors about their experiences, and offer the audience an opportunity to share and  gain insights into their own attitudes towards censorship. Joining Lillian are Jewell Parker Rhodes author of Ghost Boys , Jonathan Evison author of Lawn Boy, Deb Sica Deputy County Librarian at Alameda County Library and Soraya Silverman-Montano Youth and Family Learning Manager for the Seattle Public Library.

Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes is a New York Times bestselling and award-winning educator and writer for both youth and adults. She is the Virginia G. Piper Endowed Chair at Arizona State University and the Founding Director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing.

Jonathan Evison is the author of the novels All About Lulu, West of Here, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, Lawn Boy, and Legends of the North Cascades. He lives with his wife and family in Washington State.

Deb Sica has been in the field of research, education and libraries since 1993. She has been an archivist, an academic, a researcher, and, now, proudly, serves the staff and the communities of the Alameda County Library as the Deputy County Librarian. She has spent the last decade plus in Public Libraries working to transform dated, discordant practice and policy towards socially just campaigns for full inclusion. She has been politically active for over 25 years and continues to fight for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in libraries and in life. 

Soraya Silverman-Montano is the Youth and Family Learning Manager for the Seattle Public Library.  She has worked for public libraries for over 20 years in various public-facing positions and three major library systems across the country, including Multnomah County Library and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District.  Over the last decade, Soraya has been a leader at the local, state, and national levels, where equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the forefront in all facets of her work.