Banned Together

Banned Together is a powerful documentary that lingers long after the credits roll. It follows three high school seniors from Beaufort County, South Carolina-Isabella Troy Brazoban, Elizabeth Foster, and Millie Bennett-as they fight against book bans in their district. Nearly 100 books, many featuring LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and female voices, were pulled after complaints from a very small group of parents influenced by organizations like Moms for Liberty.

What makes this film so compelling is its personal nature-you're not just watching a policy debate, but real students with real stakes refusing to be silenced. Their journey through school board meetings, protests, and national advocacy highlights their passion for free speech and representation. If you think 'today's generation' is only interested in TikTok trends, these students tenacity will surprise and inspire you.

Beyond their local battle, Banned Together connects to a nationwide wave of censorship, forcing viewers to ask: Who decides what students can read? What are we really protecting them from? And why are marginalized voices often the target?

Critics have praised the film for good reason-it's inspiring, eye-opening, and, at times, infuriating. It showcases both the courage of these students and the creeping threat of censorship in public education. If you care about free speech, education, or youth activism, this is a must-watch.

To say this film triumphs in highlighting local issues representative of a national crisis is an understatement. Witnessing three teenage women from different school districts in Beaufort County, SC come together to confront their local school boards, the state, and national forums with such intelligence, grace, and aplomb is breathtaking. Their high school efforts would seem nothing short of miraculous were it not for their keen and astonishingly mature awareness of the social, educational, and legal implications of book banning. "Banned Together" beautifully guides us through their journey, illustrating how these young women galvanized other students and the community through their unwavering commitment and hard work to protect intellectual freedom, to advocate for teachers, librarians and education as a whole, as 97 books were removed from their school shelves. The fact that this film was produced and filmed well before the current dismantling of public education and outright ignoring of truth is telling, serving as an unfortunate prediction that highlights a dangerous pattern emerging and calls for immediate attention to a much broader societal issue. Don't miss this - it's spellbinding.

In this moment of political upheaval by a radical minority, we witness 3 young women who will not accept the destruction of books and the core of their education.

Books inform, books can change lives, and books liberate our minds. These young women inspire and create a movement for all of us to join.

Where are young people supposed to turn when counselors are in short supply, libraries are being censored and adults are commanding the floor with nonsensical, inaccurate information? If we don't all speak up now to stop this, there will be no cause for us to defend. THIS is something we can all do now.

Literature has to the power to educate, inspire, challenge, create dreams and change the world. "Banned Together" is a real world perspective about the trials and tribulations of censorship. This documentary addresses book bans and curriculum censorship. Following three students and their adult supporters as they navigate the process to be heard is fascinating. It is refreshing to see our youth in action, eloquently supporting their views. You will experience elation, admiration, incredulity, desperation and many other emotions. A must see! A testimony to why stories and voices should never be silenced.

Banned Together is an incredibly timely, important film filled with powerful characters- beloved authors, passionate students, and voices from all walks of life resisting acts of censorship that are happening all around the US in this very moment.

It is wonderful to experience advocacy in action, and I felt that I really learned on a very personal level, who is affected by the attack on public education, and more importantly - what can be done to stop these attacks. Extra kudos to the volunteers from Defense of Democracy who were featured in the film!

This is a wonderful and necessary work, and I highly recommend it!