League of Women Voters Honors Let Utah Read
The League of Women Voters of Salt Lake (LWVSL) honored Let Utah Read with their “Making Democracy Work” award at their annual luncheon on April 24, 2025. The theme of the luncheon was “Literary Freedom: A Cornerstone of Democracy”.
The award was given, “in recognition of Let Utah Read’s unwavering dedication to preserving American’s freedom to read.”
In presenting the award to Let Utah Read representatives from ACLU, EveryLibrary, PEN America, the Utah Library Association, and the League of Utah Writers, LWVSL Past-President Shauna Bona noted:
Let Utah Read advocates for diverse literature in schools and libraries, empowering parents to guide their children's reading choices. By educating and mobilizing Utahns, they work to ensure that all individuals have access to a wide range of ideas and perspectives, free from censorship.
In addition to bestowing this honor on Let Utah Read, LVWSL also invited two representatives of Let Utah Read to provide keynote speeches. Peter Bromberg, Associate Director of EveryLibrary, and Thomas Ford, Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Utah each offered presented talks aligned with the theme of the day, “Literary Freedom: A Cornerstone of Democracy.” Peter’s comments addressed book banning in Utah and across the country, while Thomas’ discussed the importance of first amendment protections and the dangers of censorship to the health of democracies.
The League of Women Voters is a political grassroots network and membership organization that has worked for more than a century to empower voters and defend democracy. It is a true honor to receive this prestigious award from such a venerable and honorable organization.