Novelist Dinaw Mengestu on the battle for freedom of expression
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Novelist Dinaw Mengestu became PEN America president, focusing on defending freedom of expression.
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This effort supports your right to diverse voices and open discourse in public debate.
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Novelist Dinaw Mengestu has assumed the presidency of PEN America, an organization he states is working to rebuild its credibility after criticism over its failure to condemn the war in Gaza in 2023. Mengestu emphasizes the importance of defending a plurality of voices amidst censorship and revisionism. His fourth novel, "Someone Like Us," has been published in France, exploring themes of an Ethiopian-American grappling with identity and the immigrant experience in the United States. The article discusses Mengestu's views on why "us" and "them" notions remain divisive in public debate.
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Dinaw Mengestu assumed the presidency of PEN America.
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