What's the Deal?

With Ali Velshi's Banned Book Club

MSBNC host Ali Velshi founded his #VelshiBannedBookClub in February 2022, in response to the increasingly widespread practice of schools and libraries prohibiting readers — especially young readers — from accessing books that adults believe would make these readers uncomfortable.

These books include such literary classics as William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, contemporary tomes such as Alex Gino’s Melissa and Ibram X. Kendi’s How to be an Antiracist, and illustrated children’s books, New Kid and I Am Rosa Parks. Sadly, the list is way too long to include.

Connect WITH OUR SOCIAL ACTION TEAM



Listen

On our podcast

Watch

Velshi and Evison on MSNBC

Listen Ali Velshi Banned Book Club with Jonathan Evison

The MSNBC host welcomes best-selling author Jonathan Evison to talk about his semi-autobiographical examination of identity versus the American Dream, Lawn Boy

Listen Ali Velshi Banned Book Club with Jonathan Evison

The MSNBC host welcomes best-selling author Jonathan Evison to talk about his semi-autobiographical examination of identity versus the American Dream, Lawn Boy

Jonathan Evison’s 2018 novel Lawn Boy tells the story of Mike Muñoz, a young Mexican American man grappling with racism, economic hardship, and sexual identity. MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi sits down with the author for a conversation about how kids navigate establishing their identity, how achieving the “American Dream” is different for those who aren’t White and don’t fit the sexual binary, and why being uncomfortable is a fact of life we all must accept.

Evison, who is in real life a gay Mexican American, writes the coming-of-age story with humor and witty observation of American society. Discovering one’s identity can be an uncomfortable, complex, and daunting process, but we all go through it. The novel’s frank and explicit language is geared toward an adult and teen audience, but that hasn’t stopped attempts to have the book removed from libraries across the United States, making it the 7th most banned and challenged book of 2022.

Listen to Ali’s interview with Jonathan Evison:

 

Watch Velshi and Evison: 

 

 

Velshi on banned books on MSNBC:

 

MORE ON BANNED BOOKS FROM THE CITIZEN

 

The Philadelphia Citizen will only publish thoughtful, civil comments. If your post is offensive, not only will we not publish it, we'll laugh at you while hitting delete.

Be a Citizen Editor

Suggest a Story

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.