System-wide Project

www.beyondthepage.info/banned-books-con

Join us for a panel discussion on the principles of intellectual freedom. This event will kick off Banned Books Week, a celebration of the freedom to read hosted by public libraries throughout Dane County. 

Moderator: Bianca Martin, host of City Cast Madison (Best Podcast of Madison 2023)

Panelists:

Dr. Ashley White, Asst. Professor at UW-Madison and Inaugural Education Fellow for the NAACP

Erick Plumb, Director of Waunakee Public Library

Brittany Gitzlaff, Children's Librarian at Waunakee Public Library

Mike Curato is the award-winning author/illustrator of the wildly popular Little Elliot picture books. His debut young adult graphic novel, Flamer, received critical acclaim and earned several awards including the Lambda Literary Award for Young Adult. Curato will talk about his journey to publish Flamer, and what has happened since.

LNU QTKrip* Showcase + Mini Artists Market is brought to you by 

Writing Workshop Led by T.S.Banks (He/they/ze) an QTKrip teaching artists from Madison, WI. He'll lead us in writing prompts exploring Krip time, Krip Love, and Krip Pride! Join T Thursday April 27th at Pinney Library in the community room. All writers welcome, no experience necessary. All participants will leave with a few pieces of writing created in the workshop. There will also be time to share what's written in the workshop together!

In this presentation Prenicia tells her story of overcoming society putting young Black girls in a box and what it really means to create your own path in life. Prenicia to this day constantly challenges the stereotypes of Black women and uses her story to inspire youth.

Black Girls Don't Sing Opera!

What does it mean to be a Black girl performing in a predominantly white field?

Black Girls Don't Lead!

What does it mean to be a Black girl breaking barriers and leading a community?

Black Girls Don't Read!

Please join us for an evening of slam poetry brought to us by Charles Payne. Charles's workshop will help participants delve into crucial conversations across differences. And by doing so, participants will foster a deeper understanding of themselves. The learning objectives were designed to challenge participants to think, write, and share experiences they've had that contributed to their sense of belonging by giving participants a brave space to share their personal stories and challenging them to listen critically. 

Paul Robeson -- Ballad of an American is an excerpted reading in performance of Sharon Rudahl's beautiful work Ballad of an American: A Graphic Biography of Paul Robeson (2020), edited by Paul Buhle and Lawrence Ware. Interspersed with Robeson's own music and words, beginning with an eleven-minute excerpt of his compelling interview before HUAC (House Un-American Activities Commitee), it uses the frank, direct writing, and imagery of Rudahl.