Jonathan Friedman, PEN America’s Project Director for Campus Free Speech, will lecture as part of Writers Week on Thursday, Feb. 13, at noon in the InterDisciplinary South Building screening room, 1128. He will discuss why free speech and self-expression are important to college campuses.

“I will be running a forum on free speech as part of Writers Week at UCR,” Friedman said. “For this session, I’ll talk about my work promoting free speech and inclusion on campuses, as well as the challenges of writing with nuance about higher education today.”

Friedman is in charge of overseeing advocacy programs for PEN America. According to its website, PEN America’s mission is “to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.”

Friedman recently received a fellowship from the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement (UCNCFSCE). The UCNCFSCE works with all 10 campuses of the University of California. The center educates students about the roots of advocacy through discussion, and works to inspire the next generation of activists to become leaders in their communities. 

“It is especially important in the university context where young adults are learning how to form, articulate and persuade others with their points of view,” said Michelle Deutchman, UCNCFSCE Executive Director. “However, when thinking about and discussing free speech, it is essential to do so while also considering other institutional values like inclusivity and equity; free speech does not exist in a vacuum.”

Friedman’s fellowship includes a residency at UCR and will be used to create free speech resources for on-campus staff and faculty, including student affairs, housing officers, and diversity and inclusion offices.

“I aim to develop resources to help them be strong advocates for free expression and inclusion that are consistent with law and policy...that also encompass academic and community considerations,” Friedman said. 

FEATURED PHOTO. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Friedman and Steven Bridges, University of Tennessee.
Jonathan Friedman is PEN America’s Project Director for Campus Free Speech. He will speak on Thursday, Feb. 13, as part of Writers Week.