Event Recording
October 3, 2023
The First Amendment is one powerful tool to fight book bans, but the legal issues are increasingly complex. State and local legislatures and courts have become heavily involved in both book banning and the prevention of book bans in recent years.
Join us for a discussion with Cheryl Davis, general counsel of the Authors Guild, who will explain the legal issues to know about book bans and her organization’s advocacy work to protect free speech and access to books. Heather Fleming, founder of grassroots organization Missouri Equity Education Partnership, will talk about the myths and realities of book bans today.
Thank you to Missouri Equity Education Partnership for collaborating on this event for Banned Books Week.
For more info on how to take action, see the Authors Guild’s Stop Book Bans Toolkit and join Unite Against Book Bans.
Cheryl Davis is the general counsel of the Authors Guild. Prior to joining the Guild, she was a partner at the firm of Menaker & Herrmann LLP, where she specialized in intellectual property and wrote a number of articles and made presentations about how artists can protect their intellectual property.
Heather Fleming is the founder and director of the Missouri Equity Education Partnership (MoEEP) and the author of the book My Black Friend Says…: Lessons in Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Competency. Prior to her work in organizing and equity training, she started her career working eight years in the public service sector. She then moved into education and served as an English Language Arts teacher for 14 years before becoming a full-time equity and inclusion training and program design professional with her original organization, In Purpose Educational Services. Her goal for her work in this field is to promote healing, understanding, and equity for all.
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