At this year’s Annual General Meeting, we gathered virtually to envision the future of PEN America, reflect on how we navigate this fraught political climate, and strengthen our commitment to defend the liberties of writers during this perilous time.
Special remarks were delivered by Jennifer Finney Boylan, President of PEN America’s Board of Trustees, alongside Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, Interim Co-CEO and Chief Program Officer for Literary Programming, and Summer Lopez, Interim Co-CEO and Chief Program Officer for Free Expression. The vote for new offers and trustees of the board was followed by an insightful conversation with authors Rex Ogle, Padma Venkatraman, and Maggie Tokuda-Hall, and PEN America’s Freedom to Read Program Director, Kasey Meehan about authors, activism, and artistry.
There was no direct mention of Donald Trump at Annual Meeting itself, but in PEN America’s broader 2025 advocacy and press outside the meeting, the organization has publicly commented on and criticized aspects of the Trump administration’s policies.
the WORD Editor Gregg W. Morris