Turning the Page on Censorship: Banned Together Lights Up Coral Gables

In the battle over which stories deserve space on school library shelves, Florida, which banned the most books of any state last school year, has become ground zero. From school board meetings to statehouses, book bans are rewriting what young readers can access — often erasing marginalized voices in the process.

This Saturday, January 4, South Floridians will have a chance to explore the stakes through the lens of Banned Together, a new feature-length documentary pulling back the curtain on the national wave of book censorship.

The exclusive screening will take place at the Coral Gables Art Cinema, followed by a panel discussion featuring local and national advocates leading the charge against censorship. Jennifer Solomon, founder and president of PFLAG Miami, will join Stephana Ferrell from the Florida Freedom to Read Project and Jennifer Jenkins, chair of Educated We Stand, to unpack the cultural war playing out on school library shelves.

The documentary follows three teenage activists from South Carolina who made national headlines after their school pulled nearly 100 books from its shelves. But the film isn't just about one small town — it's a window into the broader assault on intellectual freedom across America.  With Florida as a key player, the film descends deep into the forces driving the bans, featuring commentary from banned authors like Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America), Jodi Picoult (The Storyteller), Juno Dawson (This Book Is Gay), Ellen Hopkins (Crank), and Erika L. Sánchez (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter).

As highlighted in a recent New Times article, these authors and their works have been frequent targets of Florida's book bans, many of which are driven by themes of identity, race, and LGBTQ representation. Their inclusion in the film bridges the gap between national conversations and the ongoing battles playing out in Florida schools.

For anyone who's been keeping tabs on Florida's censorship controversies, this documentary couldn't come at a better time. Local schools have become battlegrounds, with books addressing race, LGBTQ themes, and gender identity facing particularly harsh scrutiny. Behind these challenges are conservative groups and legislative agendas that critics argue stifle creativity, silence marginalized voices, and whitewash history.

What makes Banned Together stand out is its refusal to oversimplify the issue. The film captures the chaos of school-board showdowns and the stakes for students, educators, and parents caught in the crossfire. The voices of the teenage activists remind us that the fight for free expression isn't just theoretical but deeply personal.

According to co-director and producer Tom Wiggin, the journey of making this documentary revealed some startling truths.

"I was surprised by the overt racism that sat at the core of this entire conversation," Wiggin tells New Times. "Especially in Florida. And when people resent that sentiment, the next question is, 'So what happened to AP African American Studies?'"

The event promises not just a closer look at the issue but also a chance to hear directly from the people fighting on the frontlines. Solomon, a longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights, brings a local perspective to how PFLAG Miami has confronted the wave of censorship targeting queer stories.

Ferrell and Jenkins add further insight into Florida's unique role in this escalating culture war.

"Since Florida has made up about half of all bans across the country, and it was the first state to implement laws to empower the objectors that share their targeted lists online, the national trends and Florida's trends are one and the same," Ferrell says. "Young Adult novels that address coming of age, self-acceptance, bullying, social justice, sexual assault, nonfiction sex education, and opposition to a dystopian, authoritarian regime are the primary targets."

For those ready for a more in-depth exploration, the conversation continues after the screening at a reception hosted by Coral Gables Books & Books.