Pop star Pink is teaming with literary nonprofit PEN America to give away banned books at two of her concerts in Florida.
The singer, known for singles such as “Get the Party Started” and “Just Give Me a Reason,” gave 1,000 books to her fans at her Tuesday concert at the Kaseya Center in Miami. She plans to do the same Wednesday at her show at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.
The giveaway, PEN said in a news release, is meant “to highlight the spike in book bans in Florida and across the country.” Florida, according to a PEN report, leads the nation in book challenges and bans in schools.
“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” Pink said in a statement. “It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color. We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed. This is why I am supporting PEN America in its work and why I agree with them: no more banned books.”
The books given to concertgoers include Todd Parr’s The Family Book, Amanda Gorman’s The Hill We Climb, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and an unspecified book from Girls Who Code, the nonprofit that teaches computer science to girls.
Kasey Meehan, the director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read Program, said, “We are thrilled to be working with Pink on this important cause. Every child deserves access to literature that reflects their lives.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
