Conversation with Military Families for Free Expression (MFFE)

Posted by & filed under Book Bans & Censorship, LGBTQIAP2+, LOVE VIOLET, SCOTUS.

Image of author C.S. Wild speaking, blue shirt reading, “For the love of God stop banning books”; light skin, dark blond shoulder-length hair, glasses

Inside MFFE’s Inaugural Virtual Gathering

On Sept. 9, 2025, I had the honor of joining other book professionals and Military Families for Free Expression (MFFE) for their first online event: “Inside MFFE’s Inaugural Virtual Gathering.”

FULL EVENT HERE (55:19)

The full conversation was so informative and moving – you won’t want to miss Philomena Polefrone explain the roots of this current censorship and Vicki Kwiatkowski’s stories as a military librarian of how young people in military settings are supporting each other and reading liberty. She also discussed using coded ways to support LGBTQIA+ students now that flags, pronouns and other forms of supportive speech have been banned in military settings. It was especially meaningful to join fellow military service and family members for this important conversation, which was equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring. Our assignment is clear.

From MFFE’s substack:

Event Highlights 

The MFFE gathering featured powerful perspectives from across the free expression and military family community:

  • Philomena Polefrone – Associate Director of the American Booksellers for Free Expression, sharing insights on national trends in censorship and how grassroots action makes a difference.
  • Vicki Kwiatkowski – Military spouse and former DODEA librarian, offering an inside look at how book challenges and restrictions affect students and educators.
  • Charlotte Sullivan Wild – Military spouse and author of a challenged book, speaking firsthand about what it means to have one’s work censored and why representation matters. (C.S. Wild excerpt (6:42))

Military members and families are uniquely and more instantly affected by government censorship of military libraries, schools, and speech – which is espeically frustrating given the many sacrifices our families make to serve our government. I’m very thankful for everyone supporting our young people and the newly-formed MFFE.

THANK YOU.