UNEXPECTED WARRIOR: Amanda Jones is THAT Librarian | An Online Advocacy Discussion with Meg Medina
Amanda Jones is a middle school librarian, an activist, and the author of That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America. She has served as President of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians, was distinguished as the 2021 School Library Journal Librarian of the Year, and named to the 2025 TIME100 Next list. Amanda gained national attention for fighting book bans in her home state of Louisiana, which led her to pen That Librarian, to share about her experience.
In this James River Writers advocacy discussion, Amanda will share about her unexpected journey to becoming a leading voice for intellectual freedom and anti-censorship. In an online conversation with Newbery Medalist and former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Meg Medina, Amanda will talk about how the book banning landscape has changed over the last few years, the wider implications of these book bans, and what part we can all take in countering censorship in our own communities.
Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship
When: Tuesday, June 16 | 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern | Online via Zoom
Cost: $5 registration fee will be donated to Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship
Location: Online, in the comfort of your own home. Via the Zoom Platform
Registrants will be emailed the Zoom link to join upon registraton. After the event, registrants will be sent a link to the program, and you may watch it at your leisure for thirty days.
This Advocacy Discussion is sponsored by
ABOUT AMANDA JONES
AMANDA JONES made national headlines in 2022 when she was targeted by extremists in her town for speaking out at a public library board meeting. She decided to fight back and took her harassers to court, while continuing to speak out at both the local and national level against the pro-censorship movement. Amanda chronicles what it is like being the target of white Christian nationalists and the importance of standing up for intellectual freedom, in her book That Librarian: Fighting Book Banners in Today’s America.
ABOUT MEG MEDINA
| MEG MEDINA served as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. She is the author of many notable works for young readers of all ages, including the Newbery Medal-winning and New York Times bestselling book Merci Suárez Changes Gears, the first in a triology. Meg Medina’s work examines how cultures intersect through the eyes of young people. She brings audiences stories that speak to both what is unique in Latino culture and qualities that are universal. Her newest middle-grade novel is Graciela in the Abyss. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, she grew up in Queens, New York, and now lives in Richmond, Virginia. |
ABOUT LOUISIANA CITIZENS AGAINST CENSORSHIP
This programming is supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly.
See Richmond CultureWorks for other literary events in the area.