Every victory for the freedom to read begins with a courageous community of advocates. Whether you show up to a school board meeting, report censorship, donate or take other actions, you are part of a powerful movement to protect the right to read. In our Freedom to Read Advocate Spotlight series, we celebrate our advocates by sharing their stories, motivations, and what drives them to fight against censorship.
Laura Alexander is a story lover and devotee of all things spooky. On Bookstagram (@storiesandskulls), she showcases her latest reads, highlights favorite bookstores, and connects with fellow bibliophiles. As a freedom to read advocate, Laura curates a Little Free Library and supports the Unite Against Book Bans campaign. Below, she shares why the freedom to read matters to her and what inspires her advocacy.
What’s one book that’s important to you and why?
One book that’s particularly important to me is Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, which has been challenged and banned in many libraries. I was 13 years old when I read this book and was struggling so much with low self-esteem, social issues, and trying to find my own voice. This book made me feel both seen and empowered. It came to me right when I needed it and I will always be grateful for it.
What else inspires you?
There is a small, nonprofit bookstore near my home and they frequently restock copies of banned books. I purchased a few to put into my Little Free Library and it led to a beautiful conversation with one of the volunteer workers there. She told me how much she appreciated me distributing banned books to the community, because she was afraid they would eventually disappear altogether. I got unexpectedly emotional during this chat because I didn’t think putting banned books in my Little Free Library was a big deal, but I could see it meant a lot to her. I am inspired by the bookstore for making sure they stock banned books and inspired by this woman who showed appreciation for me doing my small part to help spread them more broadly.
Why do you support the Unite Against Book Bans campaign?
One of my favorite things about reading is that it gives me access to perspectives and experiences I otherwise couldn’t access. I understand the world better and am more connected to people all over the world through reading. I truly believe that if we lose the freedom to read, we lose the opportunity to understand others, to empathize, and to further evolve as a society. I donated to Unite Against Book Bans because I want to do whatever I can to defend our freedom to read.
I also believe in speaking up for what we care about. It helps us find and connect with others who feel the same way. When we raise our voices about an issue, we bring attention to it and also show how many people care about the same thing. There is power in numbers and the more voices, the better. With book bans, there are a lot of negative voices speaking very loudly right now and it can be discouraging. If we raise our positive, supportive voices, we can help others realize there is hope in keeping our freedom to read.
Join the fight for the freedom to read! Donate, connect with our passionate community of supporters, and equip yourself with our grassroots organizing toolkit.