This week, it’s easy to feel like America’s fabric is unraveling. Our democratic principles are fraying, not because of one clear issue, but because countless threads of cultural, political, and social struggles have snarled together into a tangled mess. Trying to pick apart each thread feels impossible—it demands your time, your energy, your sanity.
For me, I’ve decided my focus needs to be literacy. Book access, media literacy, and the foundational skill of reading are all under threat. Watching literacy rates drop as media illiteracy skyrockets has taught me something vital: people may be consuming information faster than ever, but without the skill to question it, they’re consuming all kinds of toxic ideas uncritically.
If you’re a reader, a publishing professional, or even just a parent, and you’re frustrated at where we’re headed, know this: there are real actions you can take. Below is a list of simple, impactful steps. Don’t feel you have to tackle all of them; in fact, I’d encourage you to start with just one. See what happens when you dive into that one focus.
We can’t control everything. But we can shape our own corners of this country. Let’s make our own little waves—and I promise, they’ll add up to something big.
A Personal Wake-Up Call: Banning Books Isn’t Just an Old Worry
When I was a junior in high school, my class read A Brave New World. Someone’s parent flipped out—thought the book was promoting sex and drugs. The idea of satire was totally lost on them. That was when I first realized that book banning isn’t some historical footnote; it’s a real and current issue, even in a country that prides itself on free speech. And it's often led by people with low levels of literacy. It was my first glimpse into how vital it is to protect access to books and ideas.
Here’s How You Can Make a Difference Right Now
1. Get a Library Card—and Actually Use It The library is one of the last public spaces for free access to knowledge. Show up, borrow books, support this invaluable resource. The more we use our libraries, the more our government see that we will not accept the Project 2025 plan to withhold funding and jail librarians who share books a tiny portion of loud people disagrees with.
2. Join Your Local Friends of the Library (or Even the Library Board) Local involvement can make a difference. Help protect diverse voices by supporting your library from the inside out. Banning books starts locally, and the people that show up are the ones who are trying to censor books. Make sure there is someone there to oppose them.
3. Join Authors Against Book Bans Take a stand with Authors Against Book Bans, a group committed to keeping banned books accessible.
4. Join PEN America PEN America actively opposes censorship and supports free expression. You can get involved by becoming a member at pen.org/membership.
5. Email Your State Representatives to Oppose Book Banning A quick email can go a long way. Tell your representatives why you oppose censorship.
6. Buy Books from Independent Bookstores and Authors Whenever you can, buy from indie bookstores or directly from authors. Bookshop.org and Libro.fm are good alternatives too. Save Amazon for indie authors who don’t have the resources to sell elsewhere.
7. Diversify Your Reading Commit to reading books by BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled authors. Reading widely broadens your perspectives, and there’s no better time to start.
8. Get Involved in Your School’s PTA or School Board Parents have an enormous influence here. Show up to make sure all kids have access to a range of books reflecting diverse backgrounds and experiences.
9. Teach Kids the CRAP Test Help kids evaluate information critically with the CRAP test, a simple way to identify reliable information and dodge misinformation.
10. Unpack Your Own Discomforts Self-reflection is powerful. Follow Black women on social media who have been leading this work for a long time. Just listen—don’t comment, don’t add your voice. Open your heart and mind to learn from them.
11. Trade in Your BOTM Subscription for an Independent Publisher’s Program Consider supporting publishers like AK Press or Haymarket Books, who focus on diverse and socially conscious works.
12. Support Local Literacy Projects Volunteer, donate, or help raise awareness for local literacy programs that work to make communities stronger and more informed.
Each of these actions, however small, is a step toward preserving our access to diverse stories and ideas. Find a few that resonate with you and go all in. Together, we’ll make sure that knowledge, creativity, and empathy stay untouchable—no matter how much those in power might try to restrict them.
Let’s start a quiet revolution, one book at a time.
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