This blog post is by Ray Kirstein, producer of The State of Belief at Interfaith Alliance, a Unite Against Book Bans partner.
Interfaith Alliance is working with Unite Against Book Bans, the American Library Association, and other partners to take a strong stand against censorship and book bans. On The State of Belief, the weekly radio program and podcast from Interfaith Alliance, we’ve collaborated with fellow Unite partners from the Union of Black Episcopalians and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs on a new episode that addresses the imperative for people of faith to stand up for the freedom to read.
The Freedom to Read is an Essential Human – and Religious – Right! is now available at The State of Belief and on all major podcast platforms.
Rev. Qiana Johnson, Associate Dean of Libraries, Collections and Content Strategies at Dartmouth College; the Very Rev. Kim Coleman, National President of the Union of Black Episcopalians; and Rabba Rori Picker Neiss, Senior Vice President for Community Relations with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
This podcast episode has been released on the Freedom to Read Community Day of Action, October 19th, and features two of the many religious groups that have shown up to counteract censorship. The episode features one story of a Dartmouth librarian named Qiana Johnson, who is also an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church. Rev. Johnson, along with the Very Rev. Kim Coleman, National President of the Union of Black Episcopalians, shepherded a denomination-wide resolution condemning book bans as an impediment to the flourishing of the “Beloved Community” on Earth.
And the Episcopal Church is not alone. The critical work to counter book bans is being carried out by many dedicated individuals and groups, including the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Senior Vice President for Community Relations Rabba Rori Picker Neiss has long recognized the threat of book bans, particularly as they impact LGBTQIA+ youth, and joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, to round out this urgent and timely series of conversations. Like the other guests, Rori issues a call to action, urging listeners to engage with beleaguered librarians and to get involved in local library and school boards.
On the Freedom to Read Community Day of Action, and every day, Interfaith Alliance encourages people of diverse faiths and beliefs to show up for librarians, public libraries, and school libraries. For specific ideas on what to do, check out Banned Books: Banned Beliefs – a resource developed by Interfaith Alliance and Unite Against Book Bans.
