How to Organize Banned Books Week Events in El Paso

Banned Books Week is an annual national awareness campaign that celebrates the freedom to read and highlights the value of free and open access to information. Held during the last week of September, it brings together librarians, educators, booksellers, publishers, and community members to spotlight books that have been challenged or banned in schools, libraries, and public institutions. In El Paso, Texas a culturally rich, bilingual, and historically resilient border city Banned Books Week takes on unique significance. With a population that is over 80% Hispanic and a long-standing tradition of storytelling, literature, and academic advocacy, El Paso is a powerful location to host meaningful, impactful events that defend intellectual freedom.

Organizing Banned Books Week events in El Paso is not just about reading challenged titles its about affirming the right of students, families, and community members to explore diverse perspectives, confront difficult histories, and engage with voices that have been silenced or marginalized. Whether youre a librarian, teacher, activist, or concerned parent, this guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap to plan, execute, and sustain successful Banned Books Week events in El Paso tailored to the citys cultural landscape, educational infrastructure, and community needs.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Understand the Context of Book Challenges in El Paso

Before planning any event, research the local landscape. In recent years, El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) and other local institutions have faced challenges to books addressing race, gender identity, immigration, and sexuality. Titles such as Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison, and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison have been targeted for removal from school libraries. Understanding which books are under threat and why allows you to tailor your events to directly respond to local censorship attempts.

Visit the American Library Associations (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom website to review the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of the year and cross-reference them with local news reports from the El Paso Times, KFOX14, or Borderzine. Speak with librarians at the El Paso Public Library and campus libraries at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to identify which titles have been most contested in the past 1218 months. This context will inform your event themes and book selections.

Step 2: Assemble a Planning Team

Successful events require collaboration. Build a diverse team that includes:

• Public and school librarians
• English and social studies teachers
• Local authors and poets, especially those from the Borderlands region
• Student leaders from UTEP, El Paso Community College (EPCC), or high school book clubs
• Community organizers from organizations like the ACLU of Texas, El Paso Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), or Latinx advocacy groups

Assign roles: one person handles logistics, another manages social media, a third coordinates with local venues, and a fourth designs promotional materials. Meet weekly for at least six weeks leading up to Banned Books Week. Document decisions in a shared Google Doc for transparency and accountability.

Step 3: Choose Event Themes Aligned with Local Issues

Dont host generic readings. Design themes that reflect El Pasos identity:

• Voices from the Border: Stories That Were Banned But Never Silenced Focus on books by Latinx, Indigenous, and immigrant authors that have been challenged for their depictions of border life.
• Queer in the Desert: LGBTQ+ Narratives in El Paso Libraries Highlight titles that explore gender and sexuality in a conservative region.
• History We Were Taught vs. History We Were Forbidden Contrast state-mandated curriculum with banned books that offer alternative perspectives on U.S. history, immigration, and civil rights.

Each theme should be grounded in real challenges faced in El Paso schools. For example, if American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang was removed from a high school library, use that as a focal point for a panel discussion on Asian American identity and representation.

Step 4: Secure Venues and Permits

El Paso offers a variety of public and cultural spaces ideal for Banned Books Week events:

• El Paso Public Library Main Branch Offers free meeting rooms and has existing infrastructure for author events.
• UTEPs Miner Library Ideal for academic panels and student-led discussions.
• EPCCs Downtown Campus Accessible to working adults and community members.
• El Paso Museum of Art Hosts literary-artistic collaborations and can provide multimedia support.
• Outdoor Plazas Plaza de Armas or the Sun City Plaza offer open-air settings for storytelling circles and poetry readings.

Contact each venue at least eight weeks in advance. Request permits for amplified sound, signage, and outdoor seating if needed. Many public institutions are supportive of intellectual freedom initiatives and may waive fees for nonprofit educational events.

Step 5: Curate a List of Challenged Books for Display and Discussion

Create a curated Banned & Challenged Books shelf or digital display featuring titles that have been targeted in El Paso. Include:

• I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Snchez
• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
• All Boys Arent Blue by George M. Johnson
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

For each book, include a short card explaining: (1) why it was challenged, (2) who challenged it, (3) the outcome (e.g., retained, restricted, removed), and (4) a quote from the book that captures its significance. These cards should be bilingual (English/Spanish) to reflect El Pasos linguistic reality.

Partner with local bookstores like El Paso Book Company or La Casa de la Palabra to loan copies or offer discounts during the week. Encourage patrons to check out these books and return them with a handwritten note on why the story mattered to them.

Step 6: Plan Diverse Event Formats

Offer a variety of event types to engage different audiences:

Author Readings and Q&A Sessions

Invite local authors whose work has been challenged to read excerpts and discuss censorship. For example, invite a poet from the El Paso Poetry Collective who writes about migration, or a UTEP professor who teaches Chicano literature. Record these sessions for later streaming.

Read Aloud in the Park Events

Organize public readings in parks, where volunteers read banned passages aloud. Use a megaphone or sound system to amplify voices. Include Spanish-language readings. This is a powerful visual and auditory statement against silencing.

Student Book Clubs and Banned Book Cafs

Partner with high schools and colleges to host after-school book discussions. Set up tables with snacks, chairs, and books. Let students lead the conversation. Record their reflections for a digital zine.

Art and Literature Exhibits

Collaborate with art students from UTEP or EPCC to create visual art inspired by banned books. Display paintings, zines, or digital posters that interpret themes from challenged texts. Include QR codes linking to full texts or author interviews.

Panel Discussions: Why We Still Read Banned Books

Host a moderated panel with a librarian, a parent, a student, and a teacher. Ask: What does censorship mean to you? Have you ever been told not to read something? What happened? Why is this book important to El Paso? Record the panel and transcribe it for community archives.

Step 7: Promote Events Through Local Channels

Use hyperlocal outreach:

• Submit event listings to the El Paso Times and Borderzine at least three weeks in advance.
• Post flyers in public libraries, community centers, coffee shops, and laundromats places where families gather.
• Partner with local radio stations like KRWG and La Pantera 95.7 for public service announcements.
• Create Instagram and Facebook events with bilingual captions. Use hashtags:

  BannedBooksWeekEP, #LeerEsLibertad, #ElPasoReads.

• Reach out to church groups, PTA networks, and neighborhood associations with personalized emails or printed invitations.

Emphasize that these are free, family-friendly events open to all ages. Avoid academic jargon. Use phrases like hear stories they dont want you to read or come listen to voices they tried to erase.

Step 8: Engage the Community with Interactive Elements

Make participation tangible:

• Banned Book Passport Create a printable or digital passport. Attendees collect stamps at each event they attend. Complete five events and receive a free book or local artisan gift.
• Write Your Own Story Station Set up a table with paper, pens, and prompts: What book was taken from you? Why does it matter? Collect submissions and publish them in a community anthology.
• Book Banners vs. Book Defenders Poll Use a digital kiosk or poster board to ask: Should this book be in the library? with Yes, No, and I dont know options. Display results publicly to spark conversation.

Step 9: Document and Archive the Events

Preserve the work. Assign someone to take photos, record audio, and collect testimonials. Create a digital archive on a free platform like WordPress or Google Sites titled Banned Books Week El Paso 2024: Voices Unsilenced. Include:

• Event photos with captions
• Audio clips of readings
• Student reflections
• Lists of challenged books
• News clippings and official challenge documents

Submit this archive to the ALAs Banned Books Week Digital Archive and to UTEPs Special Collections. This ensures your work becomes part of the historical record of intellectual freedom in the Southwest.

Step 10: Sustain Momentum Beyond One Week

Banned Books Week should not be a one-off event. Use it as a launchpad for ongoing advocacy:

• Establish a Banned Books Book Club that meets monthly at the library.
• Advocate for a district-wide policy that requires transparency in book challenge procedures including public hearings and written justifications.
• Offer teacher workshops on how to teach challenged texts in alignment with state standards.
• Create a Library Bill of Rights poster in every school and public library in El Paso, signed by students, teachers, and parents.

Connect with other Texas cities (Austin, San Antonio, Houston) to form a regional network of Banned Books Week organizers. Share resources, strategies, and solidarity.

Best Practices

Center Community Voices, Not Just Authoritative Narratives

Dont let the event become a lecture series. Prioritize storytelling from students, parents, and librarians who have directly experienced book challenges. Their personal stories carry more emotional weight than statistics.

Use Bilingual Materials Consistently

El Paso is a majority-Spanish-speaking community. All printed materials, signage, social media posts, and event scripts should be available in both English and Spanish. Avoid machine translations hire a professional translator or work with bilingual student volunteers.

Be Prepared for Pushback

Some community members may view your events as political. Prepare a simple, values-based response: Were not taking sides. Were defending the right of every person to choose what they read. Thats not political thats American.

Ensure Accessibility

All venues must be ADA-compliant. Provide ASL interpreters for panels. Offer large-print versions of event programs. Record all sessions with captions. Consider offering childcare during events to increase parent participation.

Collaborate, Dont Compete

Dont try to outshine other organizations. Partner with the El Paso Public Library, UTEP, EPCC, and local nonprofits. Joint events have greater reach and legitimacy.

Stay Neutral on Politics, Firm on Principles

Focus on the principle of intellectual freedom, not partisan politics. Avoid naming politicians or parties. Instead, say: We believe every person deserves access to information that reflects their experience whether thats about race, gender, immigration, or identity.

Measure Impact

After the week, distribute a short survey (via Google Forms) asking attendees:

• Did you learn something new about censorship?
• Will you read a banned book in the next month?
• Will you speak up if a book is challenged in your childs school?

Use this data to improve next years events and to demonstrate impact to funders or school boards.

Tools and Resources

Essential Online Tools

• American Library Association Banned Books Week www.ala.org/bbooks Official site with logos, press kits, event ideas, and statistics.
• Office for Intellectual Freedom www.ala.org/oif Track challenges nationwide and access legal guidance.
• Book Banning Tracker (Pen America) www.pen.org/bookbanning Real-time map of book bans across the U.S., including Texas.
• Canva Free design tool for creating bilingual flyers, social media graphics, and posters.
• Google Forms For surveys, RSVPs, and feedback collection.
• Anchor.fm Free podcast hosting to archive audio readings and interviews.

Print and Physical Resources

• El Paso Public Librarys Outreach Department Offers free event supplies, including banners, book displays, and childrens activity kits.
• UTEP Librarys Instructional Services Can provide access to digital archives of banned books and research support.
• Local Print Shops Shops like Print & Go El Paso offer discounted printing for nonprofit educational events.

Recommended Reading for Event Planners

• Banned in the USA: The Rise of Book Censorship in Schools by Robin Stein
• The Book of Lost Books: An Incomplete History of All the Great Books Youll Never Read by Stuart Kells
• Words Will Never Hurt Me: Censorship and the American Classroom by Michael A. DiSanto
• Chicana Feminisms: A Critical Reader For understanding the cultural context of Latinx literature in the Southwest.

Real Examples

Example 1: The Storytelling Circle at Sun City Plaza 2023

In 2023, a group of UTEP students and EPISD teachers organized a Banned Book Read-Out in Sun City Plaza, a bustling public space near the border. Volunteers stood on small platforms and read aloud passages from The House on Mango Street, All Boys Arent Blue, and Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Pea all books recently challenged in El Paso schools.

Passersby stopped to listen. One elderly woman, tears in her eyes, shared that her granddaughter had been forbidden to read The House on Mango Street because it talked about poverty. The woman said, My daughter was poor. That book is her story. Why would we hide it?

The event was covered by KFOX14 and went viral on TikTok. Within two weeks, the school district received over 200 letters from parents demanding the books be reinstated. The books remained on shelves.

Example 2: Banned Books and Bilingual Storytime El Paso Public Library

The El Paso Public Library hosted weekly bilingual storytime sessions during Banned Books Week, reading Vamos! Lets Go to the Market by Ral the Third a book challenged in Texas for its depiction of immigration and Mexican culture. Librarians explained to parents: This book shows our children that their culture is beautiful, not something to be ashamed of.

Attendance tripled from the previous year. The library added the book to its Community Voices permanent collection.

Example 3: Student-Led Zine Project at Bowie High School

A group of 11th-grade students at Bowie High School created a zine called The Books They Tried to Hide. Each student selected a banned book, wrote a personal essay on why it mattered to them, and created an illustration. The zine was printed in 500 copies and distributed for free across El Paso.

One student wrote: I read The Hate U Give after my cousin was stopped by police. That book didnt just talk about racism it gave me the words to explain what I felt.

The school board received a petition signed by 1,200 students and parents demanding the zine be included in the curriculum. It was.

FAQs

Can I get in trouble for organizing a Banned Books Week event in El Paso?

No. Organizing educational events that celebrate reading and intellectual freedom is protected under the First Amendment. Public institutions like libraries and schools are legally required to uphold free expression. However, if you are a public employee, avoid using work time or resources for political advocacy. Stick to educational, nonpartisan messaging.

What if a parent complains about a book being read aloud?

Have a clear policy in place: All materials are selected to reflect diverse perspectives and are part of an educational program on freedom of expression. Parents are welcome to review any book in advance. If you have concerns, please contact the library director or school principal to discuss alternatives but we will not remove books based on individual objections.

Do I need permission from the school district to host an event on school grounds?

If the event is during school hours or uses school facilities, yes you must follow district policy for outside groups. But if the event is after hours, on public property (like a library or park), you generally do not need permission. Always check local ordinances.

How do I get books for the event if the library doesnt have them?

Reach out to local bookstores for donations. Many will donate or loan copies for educational events. You can also request free review copies from publishers through their publicity departments. The ALA also offers a limited supply of banned book kits for organizers.

Is it okay to read explicit content during the event?

Yes but context matters. If youre reading a passage from The Bluest Eye that contains trauma, provide a content warning beforehand. Explain why the passage is important. This is not about shock value its about truth-telling. Always consider your audience and adjust accordingly.

How can I involve younger children?

Use age-appropriate books like I Am Enough by Grace Byers or Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love both challenged for gender expression. Read them aloud with puppets, songs, or drawings. Let kids draw pictures of their favorite characters. The goal is to teach that everyone deserves to be seen.

What if no one shows up?

Start small. One person listening to a banned book is still a victory. Share your event on social media anyway. Someone might see it later. And next year, youll have a story to tell: Last year, only five people came. This year, 200. Growth takes time.

Conclusion

Organizing Banned Books Week events in El Paso is more than an annual tradition it is an act of resistance, a declaration of identity, and a commitment to the future. In a city where borders are crossed daily by people, languages, stories, and dreams the right to read is not abstract. It is lived. It is personal. It is the difference between silence and speech, between erasure and existence.

When you host a reading in the plaza, when you hang a poster in the library, when you hand a child a copy of The House on Mango Street and say, This is your story, you are not just defending books. You are defending people. You are saying: your voice matters. Your history matters. Your identity is not a threat it is a treasure.

The challenges will continue. Books will be banned. But in El Paso, the people will keep reading. And that more than any policy, any petition, any protest is how freedom survives.

Start small. Be bold. Speak in two languages. Invite your neighbors. Let the stories rise loud, unapologetic, and unbroken.