New Sarasota Civil Liberties Group To Host Banned Book Event

SARASOTA, FL — A new Sarasota organization focused on protecting constitutional rights at the local level will hold its first public event Saturday, bringing together speakers, community organizations, and local residents to discuss book bans and the “freedom to read,” co-founder and attorney Michelle Champion told Patch.

Local Civil Liberties Inc. will host “Let Books Be – Protect the Freedom to Read” from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Church of the Trinity Metropolitan Community Church in Sarasota.

The organization was formed by former members of the Sarasota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union after the ACLU discontinued its local chapters, Champion said.

Champion, who previously served on the board of the local ACLU chapter, said the group’s founders felt there was a need for a local organization focused on civil liberties education and advocacy.

“The former board, we recognized that there seemed to be a void in the community where that was left by the ACLU’s chapter,” she said. “So we banded, we got together and created a new civil liberties group.”

Local Civil Liberties Inc. received its 501(c)(3) status earlier this year and is intended to serve as a model that other communities could potentially adopt, Champion added.

The group’s mission is promoting education about civil liberties at the local level while supporting organizations and individuals working on constitutional rights issues.

The organization is nonpartisan and focused on constitutional protections including freedom of speech and expression, due process, and protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, she said.

The group chose book bans as the topic for its inaugural event in part because its founders had previously organized similar events through the Sarasota ACLU chapter.

Book challenges and bans have also become a growing issue in Florida and across the country in recent years, Champion said.

“We felt that this year, a banned book event during this election year, where we're trying to flip the school board in Sarasota ... and because it is such a salient issue at this time, that it was an event that was important to have,” she said.

Saturday’s event will feature several speakers addressing different aspects of censorship and freedom of expression.

New Sarasota County School Board member Beth Mayberry is scheduled to discuss how book bans and restrictions on speech can affect education.

The Rev. Lilly of Church of the Trinity MCC will discuss freedom of expression, the establishment clause and religious texts.

Sarasota Herald-Tribune reporter Carrie Seidman will speak about journalism, while a former judge and former court translator will discuss the effects of restrictions on speech within the justice system.

The event also will include an open mic, giving attendees an opportunity to read passages from books that have been banned or challenged or discuss why freedom of speech is important to them.

Organizers will raffle off copies of 10 of the most-banned books, and local booksellers and organizations will be on hand.

Champion said the group also hopes the event will help introduce Local Civil Liberties Inc. to potential members, volunteers and community partners.

The organization currently does not have a website or social media presence, but Champion said it is looking for people who can help with those efforts as well as other aspects of building the new organization.

“We do have a board and we have members, but we’re so new,” she said. “We’re just brand new, and that’s why we’re partnering up with local organizations to get ourselves out there.”

Local Civil Liberties Inc. is also interested in working with organizations that need assistance with civil liberties issues and legal advocacy, Champion said.

The group can be reached at localcivilliberties@yahoo.com or 941-321-2902.

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