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Banned: A Sunshine Week Conversation About Book Banning

Join the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, in-person or online for a Sunshine Week conversation about book banning nationally and in Colorado.

MSU Denver’s CAVEA Theater, fourth floor of the Jordan Student Success Center, 890 Auraria Parkway, Denver.

Moderator:

Rachael Johnson, Colorado-based attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Rachael is representing the Crested Butte News in its appeal of a district court ruling that lets Gunnison County residents remain anonymous if they wish to have library books banned or relocated.

Panelists:

Jamie LaRue, executive director of the Garfield County Library District and former director of the Douglas County libraries, where he dealt with more than 250 attempts to remove or restrict access to library materials. Jamie also was executive director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read Foundation and he is working on an essay, “On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the USA.”

R. Alan Brooks, Regis University professor, author of the “The Burning Metronome” and “Anguish Garden” graphic novels, and creator of the award-winning weekly comic for The Colorado Sun, “What’d I Miss?” Alan was threatened on social media after announcing he was writing a graphic novel that was an allegory for leaving white supremacist movements.

Krista Kafer, Sunday opinion columnist for The Denver Post. Krista has written about the Gunnison County library case and is working on a magazine article on the topic.

The panel discussion will begin at 7 p.m. after CFOIC presents its Jean Otto Friend of Freedom Award to Marc Flink, former legal counsel for the Rocky Mountain News and a former CFOIC board member.

Tickets are free but first-come-first-served because space at the CAVEA Theater is limited. The event also will be livestreamed on CFOIC’s YouTube channel.

Questions? Contact CFOIC at coloradofoic@gmail.com.

Thank you to our sponsors: The Colorado Sun, The Denver Post, Colorado Press Association, Rockford Gray and the Society of Professional Journalists – Colorado Pro Chapter

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