Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff Joins NYC Teens In Support of the Freedom To Read

By NYPL Staff
May 23, 2024
Second Gentleman Doug Emhogg, Tony Marx, Matt Nosanchuk, Siva Ramakrishnan and seven teens smile at the camera in a library setting

Photo: NYPL

On Wednesday, May 22, The New York Public Library hosted Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff and Matt Nosanchuk, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, for a roundtable conversation with teens on book banning and protecting the freedom to read.

Teen participants included Teen Ambassadors from The New York Public Library who have supported our Books for All campaign, the recent winner of NYPL’s National Writing Contest on the Freedom to Read, and students involved in Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned initiative. The event was moderated by Siva Ramakrishnan, NYPL’s Director of Young Adult Programs and Services.

Tony Marx, President of The New York Public Library, opened the conversation by sharing “The freedom to read, a core tenet of our democracy, is under attack by a vocal minority that seeks to censor not just books, but the people in those books because they find them uncomfortable… we stand in solidarity with libraries across the country against books bans and censorship in all forms.”

a teen boy sits at a table speaking to adults seated near him in a library setting

Photo: NYPL

One Teen Ambassador spoke about his experience moderating a Teen Banned Book Club talk with Stacey Lee, author of The Downstairs Girl, “I found it really distressing that this book, and others that help teens learn about history and about themselves, have been challenged or banned.” Another student shared how important it is for adults to listen to teen voices on this issue, given that the majority of banned or challenged books are for young people. 

a teen girl seated at a table in a library setting speaks

Photo: NYPL

The Second Gentleman and Deputy Assistant Secretary spoke about the administration’s efforts to protect the freedom to read and shared that they were inspired by the conversation. 

To join NYPL in protecting the freedom to read visit nypl.org/booksforall.