The word SPEAKERS in bold yellow text is displayed against a black background with abstract book-like shapes.
  • A person with long, wavy brown hair and a bright smile is wearing a black top against a neutral background.

    Summer Lopez

    Summer Lopez joined PEN America in 2017, and serves as the chief program officer of Free Expression Programs. Beginning in Nov 2024, she is also serving as…

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  • A person with shoulder-length gray hair is wearing a light blue collared shirt. They are looking directly at the camera. The background is a plain gray.

    Tahir Izgil

    Tahir Hamut Izgil is one of the foremost poets writing in the Uyghur language. He grew up in Kashgar, an ancient city in the southwest of the…

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  • A woman with wavy black hair sits against a plain gray background. She rests her chin on her hand, wearing a sleeveless beige top and black pants, with a star-shaped necklace. Her expression is contemplative.

    Tanya Selvaratnam

    Tanya Selvaratnam is an Emmy-nominated and multiple Webby-winning filmmaker; and the author of Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence and THE BIG LIE. She is the…

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  • A person stands in a doorway with a wooden door ajar. Theyre wearing a brown, shearling-lined jacket, gloves, and a turtleneck sweater. The background is dimly lit with soft, warm lighting.

    Vigdis Hjorth

    Vigdis Hjorth (b. 1959) has over several decades been one of Norway’s most important authors. She published her debut in 1983 in the form of the children’s…

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  • A woman with curly brown hair, wearing a navy blue sweater with yellow stars and gold earrings, sits against a light background, looking at the camera with a soft smile.

    Viktorya Vilk

    Viktorya Vilk (she/her/hers) is the director for digital safety and free expression at PEN America. She created and runs the organization’s digital safety program, which equips writers…

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  • A smiling person with long dark hair and glasses is wearing a black top. They are sitting in a room with framed pictures on a light-colored wall in the background.

    Weike Wang

    Weike Wang is the author of Chemistry (Knopf 2017), Joan is Okay (Random House 2022) and Rental House (Riverhead 2024). She is the recipient of a Pen…

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  • A smiling person with long dark hair, glasses, and red hoop earrings is wearing a black shirt with a red floral and hummingbird design, standing indoors with a wooden cabinet and floral decorations in the background.

    Xitlalic Guijosa

    Xitlalic Guijosa (she/her) is a poet, writer, printmaker and community organizer from Southeast Los Angeles. For the past 10 years she’s been part of Alivio open mic…

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  • A person with long dark hair and a neutral expression is wearing a black top. The background is a plain gray color.

    Yaqiu (Rachel) Wang

    Yaqiu (Rachel) Wang is a human rights and democracy researcher and advocate. Most recently, she was the Director for China Research at Freedom House. Before that, she…

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