Monthly Archives: June 2022

Join the ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) and the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) along with banned author David Levithan, library professionals, authors, and friends for this 2022 Freedom to Read Celebration, Merritt Fund fundraiser, and reception. The organizations will honor the recipients of the FTRF Roll of Honor Award, John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award, Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award, and Eli M. Oboler Memorial Award.

Were excited to have author David Levithan launch the evening by sharing his remarks, and experience, with intellectual freedom and censorship. David is a childrens book editor and the author of several books for young adults, including Lambda Literary Award winner Two Boys Kissing; Nick & Norahs Infinite Playlist, Naomi and Elys No Kiss List, and Dash & Lilys Book of Dares (co-authored with Rachel Cohn); Will Grayson, Will Grayson (co-authored with John Green); and Every You, Every Me (with photographs from Jonathan Farmer). David was named the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for his contribution to YA literature. His newest book, Answers in the Pages, was released through Penguin Random House in May. This title has a timely topic as it addresses speaking up and coming out as parents lobby to ban a beloved book from the school curriculum.

The following 2022 intellectual freedom award recipients will be honored at the event.

Add the celebration to your Conference Scheduler.RSVP to attendEvent Date: Friday, June 24th at 7pm - 8:30pm ET.Location: Marriott Marquis, Univ of DC & Catholic UnivCost: Suggested Donation: $20.00 (checks and cash preferred) to benefit the Leroy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund (one free drink ticket included)

FTRF and IFRT wish to thank Penguin Random House for their generous sponsorship of the Freedom to Read Celebration.

About the Freedom to Read FoundationThe Freedom to Read Foundation has been working on behalf of librarians and others to protect the First Amendment for over 50 years. Because FTRF is a non-profit, the staff and trustees may also litigate on behalf of First Amendment issues, as well as educate and advocate. The FTRF board of trustees includes representatives from each of ALAs roundtables. This ensures that librarians representing all forms of library work can bring their voices and concerns to FTRF and carry back valuable information.

About the Intellectual Freedom Round TableThe Intellectual Freedom Round Table of the American Library Association provides a forum for the discussion of activities, programs and problems in intellectual freedom of libraries and librarians; serves as a channel of communications on intellectual freedom matters; promotes a greater opportunity for involvement among the members of the ALA in defense of intellectual freedom; and promotes a greater feeling of responsibility in the implementation of ALA policies on intellectual freedom.

About the Office for Intellectual FreedomEstablished December 1, 1967, the Office for Intellectual Freedom is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Associations basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries.

About the Merritt FundThe LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund was established in 1970 as a special trust in memory of Dr. LeRoy C. Merritt. It is devoted to the support, maintenance, medical care, and welfare of librarians who, in the Trustees opinion, are: Denied employment rights or discriminated against on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, religion, age, disability, or place of national origin; or Denied employment rights because of defense of intellectual freedom; that is, threatened with loss of employment or discharged because of their stand for the cause of intellectual freedom, including promotion of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, the freedom of librarians to select items for their collections from all the worlds written and recorded information, and defense of privacy rights.

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Freedom to Read Celebration, Supporting the Merritt Fund, and Featuring Banned Author David Levithan - ala.org

Over the last five years, the current president of Angola, Joo Loureno, has held several unscripted press briefings. The last one was two hours of back and forth between Loureno andtwelve journalists.

While this seems typical for western countries, its almost unheard of in Angola, much less Africa. This, in part, is due to the 40-year rule of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which only recently allowed for a multiparty system and, therefore free press.

From 1979 to 2017, Jos Eduardo dos Santos was Angolas President, during which time the MPLA instituted a one-party state, andgovernment propagandawas rampant. Disinformation was so typical that even today, many Angolans dont trust the media. In a 2017studyby Afrobarometer, only 24% of respondents in Angola said they had a lot or some trust in the media.

This is likely because, for much of Angolan history, the media has been used as a mouthpiece for the government.

The MPLAs Angolan Radio and Television (RTA) was the only media outlet until 1992 when the government allowed a secondradiostation. This, however, was short-lived as the government soon revoked the stations license.

In the early 2000s, the government lifted a ban on private television stations but required them to be 60% Angolan-owned. This was seen as a way to maintain government control over the media. It wasnt until 2012 that a third radio station, Radio Despertar, was allowed to operate.

The governments monopoly on the media began to unravel in 2013 when a group of Angolan journalists created a website called Maka Angola. The website was dedicated to investigative journalism and quickly gained a following.

This was a turning point for the media in Angola as it showed that there was a demand for unbiased reporting, but it hasnt been without pain and controversy.

Under President Joo Loureno, there have been several contradictions in Angolas media landscape in the last five years.

Two journalists wereacquittedof defamation in 2018, encouraging journalists who had previously been in prison for their reporting. However, in 2021 two more journalists were reportedlychargedwith libel.

While President Loureno has been receptive to a more free press, this apparent contradiction could be influenced by the old guard of the MPLA, still holding some power and resistant to change.

And yet, there has been an increase in Angolas press freedom rankings. Angola wasranked121 out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders 2018 World Press Freedom Index. Today, Angola isranked 99 out of 180 by Reporters Without Borders.

While this is progress, Angola still has a long way to go before it can be considered a country with a truly free press. The governments monopoly on the media for so many years has created a culture of distrust and cynicism that will take time to change.

Currently, there are only a handful of private media outlets, and most are located in the capital, Luanda. This means that, while more voices are being heard, they are not necessarily representative of the entire country.

There is also a lack of media diversity. Business people own most outlets with ties to the government or the MPLA. This creates a conflict of interest as they are more likely to report favorably on the government to maintain their relationship.

The country will also need to develop the infrastructure and institutions needed to support a free press, such as lower barriers to entry like broadcasting fees, education, and access.

It is also worth noting that, while the government has taken steps to allow for a more free press, they are still very much in control. The media is still heavily regulated, and the government can revoke licenses anytime.

This was made clear in 2020 when the government shut down Radio Despertar, one of the only independent radio stations in the country.

The station was known for its critical reporting and had been a thorn in the governments side for years. The closure of the station was a significant blow to press freedom in Angola.

Overall, Angola is making progress regarding press freedom, but there is still a long way to go. The governments monopoly on the media for so many years has created a culture of distrust and cynicism that will take time to change.

Angola will hold a presidential election this year, 2022, and it is widely expected that President Joo Loureno will win.

This is good news for the media as President Loureno has shown himself to be more receptive to the press. However, he must be willing to force change among the old guard of the MPLA, still influential, to realize an open democracy that values a truly free press.

This means that, while there may be some progress made on press freedom under President Loureno, it is likely to be slow and incremental.

The opposition, on the other hand, Adalberto Costa Junior, has been consistently vocal in his support for a free press. The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) has promised to end the governments monopoly on the media and create an environment where independent journalism can flourish.

However, it is worth noting that UNITA has been in power before and did not make good on its promises. They will have to prove that they are serious about press freedom if they want the people to believe them.

Angola holds excellent potential for hosting a free and independent press that can act as a watchdog on government corruption and human rights abuses and ensure a free and fair election this year.

The world will be watching how the Angolan government handles the press in the lead-up to the election, and it will be a good indicator of how committed they are to the future of a democracy that values a free press.

*Kristi Pelzel is an Policy Analyst, University Adjunct, and Consultant. She was a Former White House Correspondent for Today News Africa and U.N. Graduate Fellow focused on U.S.-Africa relations. She holds an M.A. Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

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Angola Tries Out Freedom Of The Press, But Will They Go All In? Analysis - Eurasia Review

Enes Kanter Freedom: The NBA, in my opinion, is the most hypocritical organization out there. So we need to keep pushing the NBA to stand up for what is right. The NBA is a 100 percent American-made organization that the Chinese dictatorship runs. That is unacceptable. Someone, whether its the Senate or other politicians, needs to say enough is enough. And its not just the NBA. Chinese-controlled US institutions also include Hollywood and academia. Someone has to stop this.Source: OutKick

Burack: You are not on an NBA team right now. Is that because you speak out about human rights violations in China and Turkey? Enes Kanter Freedom:Let me give you a very easy stat, it is not rocket science: last year, I played for the Portland Trail Blazers and averaged a double-double. We made the playoffs. And they are telling me that six months later, I forgot how to play basketball? Even the kids on the streets will laugh at that notion. I believe I could start in many cases right now, but because the things I say are hurting the NBA financially, they wanted me out of the league. Its that simple. I just turned 30, and they are pushing me to retire. I can play another six or seven years easily. But unfortunately, with a league like this and with the players in it like this, it looks like its not possible. -via OutKick / June 17, 2022

Burack: If you had known that speaking out would have cost you your NBA career, would you have still done it? Enes Kanter Freedom:I would do this every time. No question. Why? While they are playing basketball right now, there is a genocide happening on the other side of the ocean. There are three to four million people in concentration camps who are tortured every day. And Uyghurs are not the only ones you see whats happening in places like Hong Kong, Tibet, Taiwan and Mongolians. So this is bigger than my next paycheck. Of course I would do it all over again. -via OutKick / June 17, 2022

While the Celtics and Warriors battle on the court in a tightly contested NBA Finals, the governors of California and Massachusetts have joined in on the action. In a tweet Wednesday, about a half hour before the tipoff of game three, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker promised California Gov. Gavin Newsom that the Celtics would claim the Larry OBrien Trophy this year. -via Boston Globe / June 9, 2022

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Enes Kanter Freedom: The NBA is a 100 percent American-made organization that the Chinese dictatorship runs - Yahoo Sports

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On this episode: Enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. More than 150 years later, Juneteenth - the name for the day they got the news - is finally recognized as afederal holiday.

But what does freedom mean to the Black community these days? After both so little and so much time?

In this episode of the "On the Line" podcast, host Cary Junior II takes a stroll through the history of Juneteenth, and asks the question: has freedom been attained?

Junior speaks with Kefentse Chike, professor of African American history at Wayne State University, and Detroit historian and journalist Ken Coleman to find answers.

He also hears from Miss Juneteenth, 6-year-old Robyn "Rosie" White who was crowned in 2021 at theannual Juneteenth in Detroit Family Day. Rosie, her mom, Kenya White, and otherDetroiters all weigh in on what Juneteenth and freedom mean to them.

"On The Line"is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

For more:

5-year-old Robyn 'Rosie' White to be crowned Miss Juneteenth 2021

Juneteenth celebrations in metro Detroit include films, food, music and shopping

Juneteenth becomes 13th Michigan court holiday

Fact check: Southern states used convict leasing to force Black people into unpaid labor

COVID-19 shined a light on racial health disparities. What comes next?

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'On The Line': For Black folks, what does freedom look like in 2022? - Detroit Free Press