Books are the lifeblood of education, imagination, and personal growth. They serve as windows into different worlds, mirrors for our own experiences, and a critical tool for children to explore their identities. In Los Angeles, our kids deserve stories that reflect their lives, families, and communities. Yet, across the country, we’re seeing an alarming rise in book bans, particularly targeting LGBTQ+ stories and works by authors of color, including Muslim and Arab creators.
The numbers speak for themselves. In 2023 alone, the American Library Association documented over 1,200 attempts to censor library books, with more than 4,200 unique titles targeted for removal—marking a 65% increase from the previous year. This growing trend is a direct attack on diversity, inclusivity, and intellectual freedom. We’re not just seeing isolated cases; this is a well-organized movement that seeks to erase stories of race, gender identity, sexuality, and reproductive health from public libraries and schools.
As a candidate for Congress, I stand firmly against this dangerous wave of censorship. Our public libraries, much like our public schools, are foundational to our democracy. They offer every child the opportunity to read, explore, and learn, regardless of their background or beliefs. Banning books is an assault on that opportunity—it’s an assault on our children’s right to discover themselves and the world around them.
The fight against book bans is a fight for our future. As the future representative of CA-34, I will work to ensure that every child has access to the stories that shape their understanding of the world—stories that honor who they are and the diverse communities they come from. We will not stand by as extremist groups attempt to criminalize librarians, educators, and authors for simply doing their jobs.
In this great, and sometimes fumbling, democracy, we must protect the freedom to read, to learn, and to grow. Anything less is a failure to honor our children and their futures.
Let’s unite against censorship and fight for the open, inclusive, and diverse education that all children deserve.
