DISSIDENCE: Exiled Writers on Resistance and Risk

Free speech lovers everywhere were shocked at the near-fatal stabbing of author Salman Rushdie on August 12. Yet around the world, writers, journalists, visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, actors, and other creative people are censored, harassed, imprisoned, or killed for speaking their minds or exercising their imaginations.

Come celebrate the courage of four writers who have risked their lives in the pursuit of their creative work, and learn about the grassroots movement that supports them in an evening of readings and conversation.

Poet Dmitry Bykov nearly died in a poisoning, then was banned from teaching or appearing on Russian TV. Essayist Pwaangulongii Dauod received death threats for writing about queer culture in Nigeria. Cartoonist Pedro X. Molina watched Nicaraguan state forces jail his colleagues and occupy his newspaper's offices. Novelist Anouar Rahmani was threatened with imprisonment for writing about human rights in Algeria.

All four were forced to flee their homelands, and all four found safe haven in a City of Asylum in the United States.

Timed for Banned Books Week, the event is part of a three-city tour celebrating solidarity among City of Asylum programs in Ithaca, Pittsburgh, and Detroit. It will also mark Ithaca City of Asylum's 20th anniversary of protecting and supporting writers at risk.

“DISSIDENCE: Exiled Writers on Resistance and Risk” is organized by Ithaca City of Asylum and supported by a grant from Cornell University’s Migrations Global Grand Challenge and the Mellon Foundation’s Just Futures Initiative.

Please leave large bags at home. Admission is free but a donation is requested.