Voices of Freedom: The 2025 PEN America Gala Champions Free Expression Amid Rising Censorship

Under the iconic blue whale of the American Museum of Natural History's Hall of Ocean Life, literary luminaries, celebrities, and free speech advocates gathered on May 15, 2025, for the Annual PEN America Gala. This evening transcended mere celebration to become a powerful rallying cry against the growing tide of censorship in America.

Emmy and Tony-nominated writer Amber Ruffin emceed the event with characteristic wit, her stunning gold suit matching the evening's splendor as she refreshed the traditional whale jokes to the delight of even the most veteran attendees. The star-studded guest list included Sarah Jessica Parker, Taye Diggs, Judy Blume, Jodi Picoult, and Candace Bushnell, among others, all united in support of literary freedom and the right to read.

Yet beneath the glittering surface of celebrity and elegant dining, the evening carried profound weight. Speakers throughout the night addressed the alarming increase in book banning across America's schools, colleges, and public libraries, with many directly challenging the current administration's threats to withdraw public funding from institutions that refuse to censor their collections.

The Fight for Free Expression

Wesleyan University President Michael S. Roth delivered one of the evening's most compelling addresses, emphasizing that free expression must extend beyond our comfort zones. As the leader of an institution that notably pushed back against shutting down student protests, instead allowing demonstrations to create an essential dialogue and teaching students to accept and listen to those with differing viewpoints.

"We need writers, teachers, editors, publishers to remind our fellow Americans that if you reside in this country, you have every right to speak your mind, to love who you want," Roth declared. "Free expression should also encourage the ability to listen to those with whom one disagrees. We must find common cause with people who might disagree with us about parents, or about taxation, or about Palestine. We must find ways to work together to make a commitment to free expression also a commitment to listening more deeply."

The consensus among speakers was clear: regardless of political position, the freedom to engage with diverse ideas is essential for critical thinking and cultural vitality. This message resonated especially strongly against the backdrop of what Jon Yaged, CEO of Macmillan Publishing, described as increasingly overt censorship.

Personal Connections

Sarah Jessica Parker delivered a poignant speech about her mother's influence on her lifelong love of reading. "Books have been, for as long as I remember, my most reliable companion," Parker shared. "Growing up with my mother, Barbara, the most voracious reader I know - she's read 352 books since 2019, all courtesy of the public library - is why all of her eight children are readers."

Parker expressed both outrage and concern at the current climate: "I am deeply disturbed and enraged. It is no longer a rising tide of bans; it's a wave that feels like it's going to swallow all of us - in our public school libraries, in our community libraries, and the recent ban of books at the West Naval Academy Library."

Industry Perspectives

Actor and author Taye Diggs spoke movingly about his own experience with book banning. "Today, you may know me from the screen or the stage, but some of the projects I'm most proud of are actually found on the page," Diggs said. "Several of my books have been banned or challenged in districts around the country for the crime of being too multicultural."

Diggs praised Jon Yaged, whom he was introducing as an honoree, for his unwavering support. "At a time when many business leaders are trying to stay under the radar, Jon never hesitates to put himself out there and speak out about the freedom to read, as well as Macmillan's unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion."

Corporate Courage

In his acceptance speech, Macmillan CEO Jon Yaged addressed the increasingly hostile environment for free expression. "Today, the concept of censorship and free expression has been co-opted by people that want anything but a free exchange of ideas," Yaged stated. "Their message is clear and overt: do what we say or else or else we will boycott you, delete your post, encourage others to dox you, or worse, instigate physical violence against you, and threaten you with incarceration."

Yaged highlighted the consequences of this intimidation: "All this has a chilling effect and encourages self-censorship. People don't know what they can do, so they stop speaking out."

Under Yaged's leadership, Macmillan has taken concrete action, signing on as plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging House Bill 710, which restricts access to books deemed "harmful to minors." The company has also developed an in-house "freedom to read" task force and provides support to numerous organizations fighting censorship.

Global Perspective

The gala also recognized international voices suffering persecution, including Egyptian poet Galal El-Behairy, currently detained in Egypt for poetry critical of the government. El-Behairy's story served as a sobering reminder that the fight for free expression extends beyond American borders.

Egypt ranked ninth worldwide in 2024 for jailed writers, with ten writers imprisoned. El-Behairy was first arrested in March 2018 for his lyrics to "Balaha," a critique of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Despite his detention exceeding the maximum legal limit for pre-trial detention, the government shows no sign of either releasing him or bringing him to trial.

A Call to Action

As the evening concluded, the message was clear: the freedom to write and the freedom to read stands at a critical juncture. What once seemed like isolated incidents of book banning has grown into a systematic effort to control what Americans can read, write, and think.

Yet the atmosphere remained one of determined resistance rather than despair. As Yaged put it, "While these times are incredibly challenging, I'm encouraged by the fact that humanity has overcome moments like this in the past. History shows us that it might not be easy and will entail conflict and pain, but as long as we continue to resist, as long as groups like PEN America continue to speak the truth and highlight hypocrisy in power, free expression will endure."

In an era when fundamental freedoms face unprecedented challenges, the 2025 PEN America Gala offered not just celebration, but inspiration for the crucial battles ahead.