Honored at Variety’s Power of Women, Blume spoke after an intro from Seth Meyers, host of NBC’s “Late Night.” Click here to view Judy’s talk. Blume was supporting the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). She credited the organization with helping her channel frustration over efforts to ban her works from public school libraries because of her trademark candor about adolescence. Blume then turned her speech directly to the recent censorship moves from Governor DeSantis, dubbed the “don’t say gay” bill in Florida. “Teachers are under fire, librarians are threatened,” said Blume, “They are criminalizing teachers and librarians. It’s not just that they’re threatening their jobs, they’re threatening them. They could go to jail, all because they stand up for the rights of the students they teach. All because they refuse to give in to fear. I’ve known librarians who have saved lives by handing the right book to the right child at the right time. And for that one kid, finding themselves in a book can be a lifesaver.”
April 4, 2023