The Golden State Readers

In recognition of the increasingly numerous challenges to diverse literature in the United States, the Golden State Readers unite under a commitment to safeguarding the intellectual freedom of writers, readers, and teachers. We are founded on a belief in the power of literature to ignite social change and amplify the voices of marginalized communities, as well as a belief in the inalienable right to read and engage with diverse perspectives. The Golden State Readers are also founded in acknowledgment of our identity as Californians, where book bans are, though present, not nearly so ubiquitous in comparison to many other states across the country. We unite, as California student literary activists, in recognition and support of all the students across the United States who are closest to the fight against book bans.