Book bans have been exploding across the country, and South Carolina is no exception. We're teaming up with Itinerant Literate Books to learn about the steps we can take to address the wave of censorship at play in our schools and libraries. We'll be joined by an expert panel of educators and journalists to discuss the state of the First Amendment in our school boards and state legislature.
Admission is free and open to all ages. RSVP at this link so our hosts know how many people to expect.
Panelists include:
Cinelle Barnes, a formerly undocumented writer and educator from Manila, Philippines. She is a brain aneurysm survivor and sits on the Brain Injury Leadership Council of South Carolina. She is the author of MONSOON MANSION: A MEMOIR, MALAYA: ESSAYS ON FREEDOM, and two forthcoming books: A WAY HOME, a travel and medical memoir launching in April 2026, and BECOME WHAT YOU HAVE, a prescriptive memoir for anyone interested in sharpening or conserving their cognition, coming from Little, Brown in 2028. Cinelle’s commitment to developing equitable spaces and accessible opportunities within the literary arts is evident in her bibliography, teaching resumé, and literary citizenship. Democratizing education, she utilizes Universal & Accessible Learning, narrative therapy, and brain science. Her lyrical work reflects the rich culture from which she hails, and echoes previous training in dance, music, and studio art.
Kate Selvitelli, a senior at Academic Magnet High School and founder of their chapter of the Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization. For three years, she has spoken at the Charleston County School Board, the South Carolina State Board of Education, and to state representatives about the harms of Regulation 43-170 and of book bans. This past summer, she received The South Carolina Education Association's Richard W Riley Award for using her voice to speak out in support of public education, and she was named the National Education Association's Student Activist of the Year. She has been interviewed by Nickelodeon News, the Charleston City Paper, the SC Daily Gazette, and is featured in the Banned Together documentary. She does not yet know where she is going to college, but will double major in Political Science and International Relations, with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies.
Sarah Laskowski, a member of the South Carolina Association of School Librarians and a Teacher Librarian for Charleston County Schools. With over a decade of experience in education and literacy, she is a vocal advocate for equitable access to information and inclusivity in public education.
Paul Bowers (moderator), communications director at the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina. Paul is a father of three and former journalist whose work has been published in the The Guardian, New York Times, Washington Post, New Republic, Jacobin, Huffington Post, Al Jazeera America, Brutal South, Post and Courier, and Charleston City Paper. During his time as a journalist, he frequently covered the South Carolina public education beat and was part of a team that published the national award-winning series Minimally Adequate.
Stop by to learn more and get involved!
