Pink To Give Away Banned Books At Florida Concert Stops

International pop star Pink is teaming up with PEN America (which opposes book bans across Florida) to distribute 2,000 copies of four “banned” books during her concerts this week in the Sunshine State. https://twitter.com/Fla_Pol/status/1724121241093652741 From Florida Politics:

“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that is why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” said Pink, whose real name Alecia Hart.

“It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color. We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed. This is why I am supporting PEN America in its work and why I agree with them: no more banned books.”

The giveaways will take place at Pink’s concert stops in Miami and Sunrise Nov. 14-15. All four books — “The Family Book” by Todd Parr, “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison and a book from “Girls Who Code,” founded by Resha Saujani — have appeared on PEN’s Index of School Book Bans.

Florida reportedly leads the country in terms of keeping books out of students’ hands. According to the group, more than 1,400 books were pulled from school shelves in 33 of the state’s 67 counties between July 2022 and June 2023, accounting for more than 40% of all book bans in the country. https://twitter.com/lesleyabravanel/status/1724135009500463539 Related: Banning Books In Texas + More News