Each year NCAC recognizes the notable contributions of Free Speech Defenders whose activism has had a profound impact on the protection of First Amendment rights.

Join us on November 13, 2023, at Tribeca Rooftop, 2 Desbrosses Street, New York, New York, from 6 – 9:30 p.m. ET, as NCAC honors this year’s free speech defenders during LET ME SPEAK: a Celebration of Free Speech & Its Defenders, presented by Macmillan Publishers.

For information regarding tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please contact NCAC’s Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Josh Corday, at [email protected].

2023 HONOREES

Free Speech Defender, Artist

Coco Fusco
Artist & Writer

Free Speech Defender, Author

Juno Dawson
Young Adult Author  

Free Speech Defender, Student Artist 

Madeline Scotti
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, Jacksonville FL

Judy Blume Lifetime Achievement
Award for Free Speech

Nadine Strossen
Professor, NYU Law School
Former President, ACLU

Leanne G. Katz Founder’s Award 

John Sargent
Chairman, The Ocean Conservancy
Former CEO, Macmillan

EVENT HOST

Raj Haldar
Author, Producer, Rapper

 ** Honor one of the awardees or place a message supporting free expression in our event program. Email [email protected] for details.

HONORARY CHAIRS

Greg Lukianoff, President, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

Aryeh Neier, co-founded Human Rights Watch

BENEFIT CO- CHAIRS

Floyd Abrams, Senior Counsel, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP

Audrey Barsella, Communications Manager,  Sourcebooks

Karen Gantz Zahler, President, Karen Gantz Literary Management.

Cody Lassen, Tony Award-Winning and Grammy Award Nominated American Theater Producer and Consultant

BENEFIT COMMITTEE

Jon Anderson, President & Publisher, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

Molly Ellis, Vice President & Executive Director of Publicity, MacMillan Publishers

Beth Fitzsimmons, Director, Clients & Markets Dentons

Randall Kennedy, Professor, Harvard Law School

Jonathan Whittaker. Chair of Virtual Reality and Short-Term Programs, New York Film Academy

PRESENTING SPONSOR

 SPONSOR LEVEL

PROFANE

 SPONSOR LEVEL

LEWD 

 SPONSOR LEVEL

INDECENT

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Joshua Corday at [email protected] .

For media and press inquiries, please contact Alex Finan at [email protected] 

For other inquiries, please email [email protected]