The words in two books80jili,, written 77 years apart, illuminate through hope.
“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness,” wrote 13-year-old Anne Frank in her 1944 diary.
“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it,” Amanda Gorman wrote in 2021 in “The Hill We Climb” when she was 22.
Both books have been banned or challenged in some Florida public schools.
But high school senior Iris Mogul, 17, and others, are defying the darkness of banning books.
At a Banned Books Week event in September, Iris served as a spokesperson for the National Coalition Against Censorship.
The packed event which took place at Coral Gables Congregational Church featured groups in the fight against banning books including the Books & Books Literary Foundation, Liberty City Reads Fest, PRISM, Moms for Libros, PEN America, and the National Council of Jewish Women.
“This was a great experience, as I got to meet people who are also actively involved in the fight against book bans and censorship,” said Iris. “Seeing various social justice organizations interact and uplift each other provided hope.”
She is also a teen member of The Banned Books Club founded in 2023 at the Coral Gables Books & Books.
“We read books that have been targeted by legislators in Florida and around the nation as a form of community and resistance—a double whammy!” she said. “It’s been a year since the club’s founding and we’ve read James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and more.
“There is great power in numbers, so people should be putting their minds together to fight the people in power.”
Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 by American librarian Judith Krug who was a critic of censorship. It is held during the last week of September and brings together the national book community.
When Books & Books owner Mitchel Kaplan spoke at the local event he talked about the need to understand each other.
“It’s through stories that we can develop empathy, and there’s nothing more that we need in the world right now than empathy, right?” said Kaplan. “Where better than through books can we learn about other people? Nobody should tell us what to be reading.”
The Books & Books Literary Foundation was launched in 2023 to nurture readers through books and author visits in communities where kids are hungry for stories that reflect their lives.
Another group raising awareness and fighting book bans is Moms For Libros.
“We aim to educate the community about the censorship that is taking place and the defunding and destruction of public schools in hopes that it will lead residents to activate and do something about it either via talking to their representatives or voting in a manner that aligns with protecting public education—whether that is voting for a Democrat or a Republican,” said co-founder Lissette Fernandez.
“We are nonpartisan, as we believe every parent would want their children to receive a good education, and they would want to preserve public schools for future generations.”
David Lawrence Jr., retired Miami Herald publisher and nationally known children’s advocate through The Children’s Movement of Florida, said the rising tide of banned books alarms him.
“Of course, some books aren’t suitable for children, most especially in their early years. But we need to respect what makes this republic special—that is, parents and other people making up their own minds as to what to read.”
Caroline Miller, who organized the Banned Books Week kickoff event along with Books & Books, said her vision was to foster community-building and civic engagement with Miami families.
When Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Joanie Leeds performed songs from her FREADOM album, children danced in the aisles and adults sang along.
“The concert was a celebration of stories of love, resistance and diversity, and then participants had the opportunity to learn from many local organizations—members of the South Florida FREADOM Coalition—working on the frontlines in our community to amplify issues of educational censorship day in and day out,” said Miller.
“These organizations offer concrete actions whether it’s sending letters to representatives, voting thoughtfully for school board members, speaking out at local school board meetings, checking out banned book titles from libraries or buying them, or publicly sharing personal stories about the significance of a banned book.”
Miller said individuals can mobilize their family, friends, and respective communities behind these organizations’ calls to action and donate to the organizations themselves.
“We are beyond fortunate to live in a city with this network of community organizations that fiercely champion the freedom to read and learn,” she said.
“As individuals, we must support those willing to bravely lead the charge.”
How to get involvedACLU Florida. Defends First Amendment freedoms, equality, privacy rights and fundamental fairness with constant support. www.aclufl.org
Books & Books Literary Foundation. Bookstore foundation that is expanding community, conversation and connection through events open to all. www.booksandbooks.com/foundation
Cuban-American Women Supporting Democracy (CAWSD). Women of all nationalities are invited to strengthen the values of democratic governance through activism, inclusion, collaboration and fairness. www.cubanamericanwomensupportingdemocracy.org
FABB—Families Against Banning Books. Founded and run by Hedieh Sepehri, this group asks donations be made to Books & Books Literary Foundation or Miami Freedom Project.
Florida Freedom to Read Project. This social welfare nonprofit brings together parent-led groups to protect every student’s right to access information and ideas. www.fftrp.org/donate
Freedom to Read Foundation. This legal and educational nonprofit, affiliated with the American Library Association, protects and defends the First Amendment and supports the right of libraries to collect, and individuals to access, information. www.ftrf.org
Liberty City Reads Fest. Miami Fellows alum Suze Guillaume organizes an outdoor library festival with books and visiting authors for Liberty City children and families. https://bit.ly/4eoa8wq
The Lucy Project. This group advocates for children with reading challenges by turning teachers into literacy experts and students into readers. www.lucyproject.org
Miami Freedom Project. Works to make Miami a more just and equitable community through outreach and education. www.miamifreedomproject.org
Moms For Libros. Donate and get involved with this group of Hispanic parents and educators united against misinformation, politically-driven censorship of books, and attacks on public education. www.momsforlibros.org
NCAC / Youth Free Expression Program. Provides help for people and groups facing censorship in their communities. Students can network to defend their rights to free speech. www.ncac.org
National Coalition of Jewish Women. Donate and turn your values into action with direct service work and state-wide advocacy. www.ncjw.org
PEN America. Donations champion the freedom to write and celebrate essential voices of literature. www.pen.org
PRISM. The youth-led group works to expand access to LGBTQ+ inclusive education and sexual health resources for all young people to make sure everyone is part of the community. www.prismfl.org
P.S. 305. This group is building a diverse network of families organized into a federation to provide every Miami child with an education to achieve their wildest dreams. www.ps305.org
Social Justice Network at Temple Beth Shalom. Donate and volunteer to work on creating a just and equitable society. www.tbsmb.org/social-justice
Southern Poverty Law Center. This group helps teachers across the country create inclusive school communities. www.splcenter.org
Tikkun Olam at Temple Beth Am. All are invited to donate and participate in making a difference through social justice and volunteering. www.tbam.org
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