Massachusetts Authors Against Book Bans

An Act Regarding Free Expression, passed by the Massachusetts Senate in November, awaits a vote by the House of Representatives. In today’s Boston Globe, I call upon our reps to push this bill forward and move it to Governor Healy’s desk. MASS RESIDENTS—PLEASE TAG YOUR STATE REP! 📕🗽 #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite @massfreedomtoread #mahouse

Tuesday was an inspiring show of advocacy and democracy in action. I was at the Massachusetts State House all day with @massfreedomtoread and @massaabb , asking members of the house to bring H. 3594, An Act Regarding Free Expression, to the floor. We divided into teams to meet with legislators or their aides. My team consisted of me and fellow author @danaalisonlevy , and Maureen Amyot from @masslibassoc . We met with aides from the offices of @simon.cataldo @mindyforma and Rep Carlos Gonzales (who later came to our book fair) and we met with @state_rep._michelle_badger herself. We were also joined by high school student Jonah Sterns for our 1st meeting before he left to deliver postcards written by his classmates in support of H. 3594. It was great to see so many Representatives at our book fair showing their support, including my Rep, @staterepmarksylvia I’ve had to pull back from my duties as a leader of Massachusetts Authors Against Book Bans during my cancer treatment, so I was really glad I was able be there. When I learned my radiation would start the next day, my first comment to my husband was that I’d be able to attend this day of advocacy. The bill is so important to me. I want to get this done! The senate passed a version of the bill last fall. Now we need the house to get it done so that the Governor can sign it into law. Massachusetts can lead the way with a gold standard freedom to read law, and now is the time! Please get involved. Email, call, or send postcards to your Representatives. Ask them to encourage @repmichlewitz , Chair of the Ways and Means Committee to move the bill to the floor for a vote. Let’s make sure MA protects the freedom to read — and to write. To learn more about the bill and find guidance about contacting your Representatives, see the link in my bio for “Mass Freedom to Read.” #mapoli #mahouse #freedomtoread

Wow! Yesterday was an amazing show of democracy and advocacy in action. Together with my besties from @massfreedomtoread and @massaabb , I was at the Massachusetts state house asking members of the house to bring H. 3594, An Act Regarding Free Expression, to the floor. It’s time to protect the freedom to read freely here in Massachusetts. It’s time to protect authors, illustrators, librarians, educators, parents, teachers, booksellers, students, and all readers from politically motivated book bans and censorship attempts. The senate passed a version of this bill this fall, and now is the time for the house to get it done so that the Governor can sign it into law! I was so glad to meet Rep Gonzalez, Rep Connolly, and many others who were there in support of this bill. We are living in challenging times, kitty cats, and we can’t solve everything. But I believe with my whole heart that books can help us understand ourselves and others, they can build empathy, and they can change lives. Massachusetts can lead the way with a gold standard freedom to read law, and now is the time for that to happen. Onward. P. S. I really don’t want a career in politics but the MA senate president’s office has stained glass fish on the doors, and honestly, I can see the draw. #mapoli #mahouse

Wow, yesterday was an AMAZING day! Members of the @massfreedomtoread Coalition gathered together at the State House in Boston for an Advocacy Day, where we met with representatives and talked with them about how important it is to pass H.3594, An Act Regarding Free Expression, which protects against book bans in Massachusetts. We divided up into teams to meet with legislators, and my team consisted of me and fellow authors @pronounced_ing and @tuisutherland . We met with Representatives @garballeysean , @repdecker , and @sangioloforstaterep , where we were joined by high school student jonahsterns who delivered postcards from his classmates in support of H.3594. I also got pics with @massaabb and @authorsagainstbookbans members @colleenaf and @vickijohnsonwrites who spent the day staffing our fabulous AABB table, where they spoke to legislators and aides about the many books by MA authors that have been banned across the country. It was wonderful to connect with everyone in the coalition and our representatives, but despite our smiling faces the issue is truly serious: Now that the US House has introduced a national book banning bill, it is more important than ever for MA to pass An Act Regarding Free Expression to protect our First Amendment rights here in the Commonwealth. I hope the MA House Ways & Means (cc @repmichlewitz ) will move forward with this bill soon. Let's make sure MA protects the freedom to read — and to write. #massfreedomtoread #mapoli #mahouse

. LIVE AT THE MASS. STATE HOUSE! Mass Freedom to Read TOGETHER WE OPPOSE BOOK BANS! Interview with Dana Alison Levy [MA-AABB] at the Press Conference for H. 3594 An Act Regarding Free Expression. She is a strong advocate for THE FREEDOM TO READ THE FREEDOM TO WRITE #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite #MApoli #MAhouse @danaalisonlevy @massfreedomtoread @massaabb

. LIVE AT THE MASS. STATE HOUSE! Mass Freedom to Read TOGETHER WE OPPOSE BOOK BANS! Interview with Colleen AF Venable [National and MA AABB] at the Press Conference for H. 3594 An Act Regarding Free Expression. Her award-winning books have been challenged and/or banned. She is a strong advocate for THE FREEDOM TO READ THE FREEDOM TO WRITE #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite #MApoli #MAhouse @colleenaf @massfreedomtoread @massaabb

. LIVE AT THE MASS. STATE HOUSE! Mass Freedom to Read TOGETHER WE OPPOSE BOOK BANS! Nina Selvaggi from the Greater Boston PFLAG at the Press Conference for H. 3594 An Act Regarding Free Expression. She is a strong advocate for THE FREEDOM TO READ THE FREEDOM TO WRITE #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite #MApoli #MAhouse @ninaselvaggio @gbpflag @massfreedomtoread @massaabb

. LIVE AT THE MASS. STATE HOUSE! Mass Freedom to Read TOGETHER WE OPPOSE BOOK BANS! Andrea Fiorello from the Mass. Library Association at the Press Conference for H. 3594 An Act Regarding Free Expression. She is a strong advocate for THE FREEDOM TO READ THE FREEDOM TO WRITE #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite #MApoli #MAhouse @masslibassoc @massfreedomtoread @massaabb

. LIVE AT THE MASS. STATE HOUSE! Mass Freedom to Read TOGETHER WE OPPOSE BOOK BANS! Representative Adam J. Scanlon at the Press Conference for H. 3594 An Act Regarding Free Expression. He is a strong advocate for THE FREEDOM TO READ THE FREEDOM TO WRITE #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite #MApoli #MAhouse @adamscanlonstaterep @massfreedomtoread @massaabb

. LIVE AT THE MASS. STATE HOUSE! Mass Freedom to Read TOGETHER WE OPPOSE BOOK BANS! Representative John F. Moran at the Press Conference for H. 3594 An Act Regarding Free Expression. Rep. Moran is a sponsor of this bill. He is a strong advocate for THE FREEDOM TO READ THE FREEDOM TO WRITE #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite #MApoli #MAhouse @johnmoranfor9 @massfreedomtoread @massaabb

. LIVE AT THE MASS. STATE HOUSE! Mass Freedom to Read TOGETHER WE OPPOSE BOOK BANS! Senator Julian Cyr at the Press Conference for H. 3594 An Act Regarding Free Expression. Senator Cyr was a sponsor of the bill that passed the MA. Senate last fall! He is a strong advocate for THE FREEDOM TO READ THE FREEDOM TO WRITE #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite @juliancyr @massfreedomtoread @massaabb #mapoli #mahouse

. LIVE AT THE MASS. STATE HOUSE! Mass Freedom to Read TOGETHER WE OPPOSE BOOK BANS! Massachusetts State Representative Sean Garballey is strong advocate for THE FREEDOM TO READ THE FREEDOM TO WRITE #MassFreedomToRead #Freadom #FreedomToRead #FreedomToWrite @garballeysean @massfreedomtoread @massaabb #mapoli #mahouse