Each year National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), an alliance of 59 of the nation’s leading education and publishing organizations, recognizes the notable contributions of Free Speech Defenders whose activism has had a profound impact on the protection of First Amendment rights in schools, libraries, and publishing.
2022 honorees were recognized during Let Me Speak, a Celebration and Benefit for Free Speech and Its Defenders. Award recipients included First Amendment Lawyer Michael Bamberger; student activist Edha Gupta; Bestselling Author George M. Johnson; Author and record-breaking NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick; DKT Liberty Project Founder and former NCAC Board Member Phil Harvey (1938-2021); High School Librarian Martha Hickson; Human Rights Activist and former Human Rights Watch and ACLU leader Aryeh Neier; and NCAC’s Youth Free Expression Film Contest, Lipicka Prasath, for her film on censorship, Appetizer.
VIRTUAL PROGRAM
HONOREES
Free Speech Defender, Author
Colin Kaepernick
Bestselling Author & Publisher
Free Speech Defender, Author
George M. Johnson
Young Adult Author & Activist
Free Speech Defender, First Amendment Attorney
Michael Bamberger
Senior Counsel, Dentons
Free Speech Defender, Student
Edha Gupta
Judith Krug Outstanding Librarian Award
Martha Hickson
High School Librarian
Judy Blume Lifetime Achievement Award for Free Speech
Aryeh Neier
Founder, Human Rights Watch
Leanne G. Katz Founder’s Award (In Memoriam)
Phil Harvey
Founder and CEO of DKT International
Honor one of the awardees or place a message supporting free expression in our event program. Email [email protected] for details.
HOSTED BY
PERFORMANCE BY
Daniel J. Watts
Actor and Multidisciplinary Artist
Mike Drucker
Stand-up Comedian
HONORARY CHAIR
Peter Goettler, CEO, Cato Institute
BENEFIT CHAIRS
Ellie Berger, President, Trade Publishing, Scholastic
Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Founder & CEO, The Gotham Group
BENEFIT COMMITTEE
Jon Anderson
Donna Bray
Molly B. Ellis
Judy Gold
Tracie Hall
Zack Huffman
Dominque Raccah
Pat Scales
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS
LEAD SPONSORS
Peter Goettler
Dav & Sayuri Pilkey
PARTNER SPONSORS
Gina Maria Leonetti
GENEROUS SUPPORTERS
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Joshua Corday at [email protected] or 570-269-3475
For media and press inquiries, please contact Macey Morales at [email protected]
For other inquiries, please email [email protected]