Watch the Conversation Here.
The last several years have been pivotal for the publishing industry, a business that holds the power to influence the national imagination. Demand for books surged during the pandemic, as did calls for the industry to address its legacy of racial inequality. In response to literary activism spurred in part by social media, our country’s largest publishers are accelerating efforts to diversify their workforce and the stories they publish. But how can publishers make lasting change, particularly when earlier initiatives have proven cyclical or temporary? What industry norms and processes must be replaced or built anew? How are the emerging literary communities of Instagram and TikTok influencing the conversation? And with two of the big five publishers moving toward consolidation, what are the responsibilities of an industry central to the marketplace of ideas, information, and representation?
National Book Award nominee Marytza K. Rubio, publisher Krishan Trotman, author and researcher Richard Jean So, and director of publicity Elizabeth Garriga discuss the history of racial and cultural diversity in publishing, emerging trends in the industry, and potential solutions on the occasion of PEN America’s new report featuring a wide range of industry insiders and stakeholders.
This event was part of a limited event series from the L.A. Times and PEN America exploring local news, press freedom, and free expression in Southern California.
PEN America Los Angeles' Free Expression Program is supported in part by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Watch the Conversation Here.
The U.S. has seen a dramatic rise in school book bans and educational censorship, in the guise of prohibitions on teachers, libraries, and curricula. Nationwide, students, teachers, and parents are facing a wave of these measures, which disproportionately target books about people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, or books engaging themes of sexuality and gender. Books are being removed and restricted at the behest of state officials and school administrators, raising questions about students’ First Amendment rights to access information and the limits of school board policies.
Author and Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week 2022 George M. Johnson, student activist Madison Clevenger, parent and advocate Brooke Harper, and author and historian of American education Michael Hines discussed the story of educational censorship in Southern California and how it is impacting our communities with Times editor Mariel Garza.
This event was part of a limited event series from the L.A. Times and PEN America exploring local news, press freedom, and free expression in Southern California.
PEN America Los Angeles' Free Expression Program is supported in part by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Market imperatives are pushing Hollywood studios to access the new largest market for films and television —China. That access, however, is strictly controlled by Chinese government officials who impose systemic media censorship. As a result, studios are increasingly making content decisions influenced by Beijing’s censorship goals. How does this fear of offending Beijing impact what projects are greenlit, which content falls to the cutting-room floor, and what space writers and creators have to tell their story? Beijing operates the world’s largest, most comprehensive, and most sophisticated system of state censorship. How does fear of censorship impact which projects get made?
Panelists for this event included Rebecca Davis of Variety, author Erich Schwartzel, and Golden Globe Award and Emmy Award-nominated writing team, Robert and Michelle King.
The conversation was moderated by L.A. Times Managing Editor, Scott Kraft.
This event was part of a limited event series from the L.A. Times and PEN America exploring local news, press freedom, and free expression in Southern California.
PEN America Los Angeles' Free Expression Program is supported in part by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
In partnership with the L.A. Times Book Club. – She lit up the screen in “Mary Poppins.” She put a song in our hearts in “The Sound of Music.” And now, you can be there in person as one of the most beloved stars of all time sits down for an intimate conversation with Los Angeles Times Columnist Mary McNamara. Julie Andrews will discuss her new memoir, “Home Work,” and reveal some of the most fascinating moments of her life as a silver screen legend. Don’t miss your chance to hear Andrews’ in-person account of her behind-the-scenes experiences making Hollywood history.
In her newest book, “No Stopping Us Now,” New York Times columnist Gail Collins goes where no woman has gone before: headlong into the most perplexing questions around what it means to be an “older woman” in America.
Don’t miss this chance to experience Collins’ sharp wit and keen sense of justice in person when she sits down with the Los Angeles Times for a very special Ideas Exchange talk about the arbitrary and ever-changing idea of what it means to be an “older woman” in America.
As part of the New Yorker reporting team that broke the story of the Harvey Weinstein sex abuse allegations, Ronan Farrow took home the Pulitzer Prize and opened the door for countless survivors to say #MeToo. Since then, Farrow has continued to give voice to the voiceless through his in-depth reporting on Les Moonves, Brett Kavanaugh and more. The Los Angeles Times Ideas Exchange, in partnership with the L.A. Times Book Club, will host a conversation with Farrow about his new book, Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators exposing in-depth the dynamics of power and sex abuse that have for too long kept victims in the shadows.
“Looking for Alaska” by internationally renowned YA author John Green is soon to be an eight-episode Hulu series, and you’re invited to a sneak preview of the first episode followed by a talk with creators including the author himself.
Come hear from the creators how this timely tale of friendship and coping was adapted for the screen. Author/Executive Producer John Green, Executive Producer Josh Schwartz, Executive Producer Stephanie Savage and actors Timothy Simons and Ron Cephas Jones will participate. All eight episodes of “Looking for Alaska” drop Oct. 18 on Hulu.
Marking the release of her highly anticipated work, “Year of the Monkey,” singer, artist and author Patti Smith will sit down for an unforgettable evening in conversation with the Los Angeles Times. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Patti Smith’s large body of work includes her seminal album, “Horses,” hailed as one of the top 100 albums of all time. She’s the National Book Award winning author of “Just Kids” and “M Train” and hailed as one of the most distinct voices of our time.
“Year of the Monkey,” is a profound, beautifully realized memoir in which dreams and reality are vividly woven into a tapestry of one transformative year and illustrated by Smith’s own signature Polaroids.
