Many of you know Brigade has always advocated for the positive impact reading has on individuals, that's why the recent news of organizations across the nation working to censor and deplatform marginalized communities has pissed us off.

Quoting the American Library Association:

"In recent months, a few organizations have advanced the proposition that the voices of the marginalized have no place on library shelves. To this end they have launched campaigns demanding the censorship of books and resources that mirror the lives of those who are gay, queer, or transgender, or that tell the stories of persons who are Black, Indigenous or persons of color. Falsely claiming that these works are subversive, immoral, or worse, these groups induce elected and non-elected officials to abandon constitutional principles, ignore the rule of law, and disregard individual rights to promote government censorship of library collections. Some of these groups even resort to intimidation and threats to achieve their ends, targeting the safety and livelihoods of library workers, educators, and board members who have dedicated themselves to public service, to informing our communities, and educating our youth."

In response, we're releasing a pre-order t-shirt with proceeds going to the American Library Association. Their mission is to promote library service and librarianship. They do this by providing leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship, therefore enhancing learning and ensuring access to information .

Pre-orders will be available today until Friday, February 4th @ 6pm EST.

The first 50 t-shirts will ship with a free 12" x 18" poster featuring the graphics from the front and back of the t-shirt.