Defiant Verse: A celebration of banned poetry

Let’s celebrate Freedom to Read Week by sharing and discussing banned or challenged books. Freedom to Read Week, February 22 to 28, is an annual event that encourages us to reflect on and question the impact of censorship. This year, UBCO Library and the Equity and Inclusion Office have partnered to hold a community read-in focused on poetry.

At this event, we will showcase poets and read aloud poetry that has faced bans or challenges. Broadsides of select poems will be printed for attendees who wish to take part in the reading. Not interested in reading aloud? No problem: all are welcome to listen and participate to the extent they are comfortable. There will be prizes and copies of banned or challenged books available to borrow from the Library.  

Lunch will be provided, and registration is strongly encouraged.  

Register here

At the community read-in, our goals are to:   

• Celebrate and enjoy together banned and challenged books and authors.
• Encourage participants to reflect on and question the impact of censorship on access to information and ideas. 
• Challenge censorship that often disproportionately silences marginalized perspectives, reinforcing systemic inequities. 
• Empower participants to confront and question who holds the power to censor and why. 
• Engage in the radical act of reading poetry in community!