As book bans and academic censorship escalate across the United States, this panel gathers experts to discuss the impact these bans have on current and future generations of learners. Panelists will address the necessary support that teachers, librarians, and other educators need in these uncertain times. Join us to find out what we can do to withstand and to even reverse this trend.  

Start: 8 AM, PST / 11 AM, EST / 4 PM, BST

End: 9 AM, PST / 12 PM, EST / 5 PM, BST

Panelists

Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul

Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul has adapted the #1 NYT Best Seller, Stamped (For Kids) and has written several books for educators to support reading and writing instruction. An educator with more than 20-years of classroom experience, she is currently the founder of Red Clay Educators, co-director of the Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy,  co-director of the Teach Black History All Year Institute, and executive producer and host of The Black Creators Series. Sonja provides professional development for schools and organizations in equity and antiracism. Her new book is Antiracist Reading Revolution: A Framework for Teaching Beyond Representation Toward Liberation (Spring 2024, Corwin). Visit her online at sonjacherrypaul.com.

Christina Vortia

Christina Vortia is the Chief Librarian at Howard University's Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, the world's leading repository on the global Black experience, and the African Studies, African American Studies, and History Subject Liaison for Founders Library. Christina is a librarian, educator, and literature analyst committed to Black diasporan literary traditions and print culture. She has served on the 2020/2021 LA Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature, the 2019/2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee, the 2017 Michael L. Printz Award Committee, and the 2017 Florida Author's and Publisher's Association Book Awards Committee. She has been a contributor to the popular literary website Book Riot. Christina served as Chair of the 2023 Newbery Committee and is a juror on the  2025/2026 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury. Christina reviews children's and young adult literature at Kirkus and Black Cotton Reviewers. She also is the creator of the blog HypeLit.com.

Lee Wind

Lee Wind is the co-creator (along with Tasslyn Magnusson) of the We Are Stronger Than Censorship program, which aims to empower both readers and the publishing industry at large with a response to the surge in book banning that is positive, proactive, grassroots, and community-based. Lee is the Chief Content Officer of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and an author of frequently challenged books like the nonfiction for readers age 11 and up No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves (published by Lerner, an independent publisher.) Learn more about We Are Stronger Than Censorship and how you can help at wearestrongerthancensorship.org.