THE LIBROTRAFICANTES CARAVAN COMING TO MESILLA

PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Denise Chávez
Border Book Festival
bbf@borderbookfestival.com
575-523-3988

Tony Diaz
AztecMuse@aol.com
(713) 867-8943
Websites: www.librotraficante.com, www.nuestrapalabra.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2012

THE LIBROTRAFICANTES CARAVAN COMING TO MESILLA

Latino Studies has been banned in Arizona.

But writers and activists are organizing a caravan to Tucson to smuggle =anned Latino books back into Arizona!

The Librotraficantes Banned Book Caravan will leave Houston on Monday, M=rch 12 arriving in Tucson, Arizona Saturday, March 17.

A stop at the Cultural Center de Mesilla, home base of the Border Book F=stival will take place on Thursday, March 15 at ten a.m.  Librotrafican=e organizer Tony Díaz, and various writers will be present for a pres= conference and a Quick Lit Throw Down and reading.

The caravan will headed to Albuquerque that evening for a Librotraficant= Banned Book Bash at a location to be announced.

The caravan will be filled with authors and activists who will be taking=anned books back into Arizona, to give away. The bus will be filled wi=h authors who were banned, new authors, as well as other advocates conc=rned with preserving First Amendment rights of Equal Protection and Fre=dom of Speech.

The Caravan will be making stops in Texas, New Mexico, and, of course, A=izona. More stops will be listed as they are finalized. More will be ad=ed as funding permits.

Banned authors have embraced the caravan and will participate throughout=he week, including Sandra Cisneros, Dagoberto Gilb, Luis Alberto Urrea= and others.

Donations can be given to Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their S=y by visiting the website www.librotraficante.com

The caravan is intended to:

1. Raise awareness of the issue. Some people still do not now that Latin= Studies is being banned in Arizona.
2. P well enough. This is a chance to bring attention to their work.
3. Celebrate many cultures: Children of the American Dream must unite to=reserve the civil rights of all Americans.

For more information, contact the BBF at 575-523-3988, bbf@borderbookfes=ival.com