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Seattle Bookmarked | Banned reinforced the city’s commitment to intellectual freedom and celebrating diverse voices rather than censoring them.
In 2023, the American Library Association reported a record-breaking number of attempts to ban books, most of which were written by or about members of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. But, as a Unesco City of Literature, and one of the most LBGTQ+ friendly destinations in the country, Seattle champions intellectual freedom and honors diverse voices, choosing celebration over censorship.
This was a prime opportunity to reinforce Seattle’s heritage as a welcoming city and engage our core travelers, Advenculturists, who are drawn to intellectually stimulating experiences and share the city’s progressive, inclusive values.
Our Advenculturists’ passion for literature is undeniable—they're 200% more likely to join book clubs and 40% more likely to read books twice a week. We embraced this enthusiasm by spotlighting banned books from Seattle authors like Jewell Parker Rhodes (Ghost Boys), Shawn David Hutchinson (Brave Face), and Jonathan Evison (Lawn Boy).
In the lead-up to Banned Books Week, each short-form episode featured key passages read by local luminaries: writer and LGBTQ+ activist Dan Savage, actor Jeremy Rudd, and artist/activist Angelina Villalobos. With over 5 million views and 124,000 hours of watch time, we proved that “in Seattle, your story truly matters.”
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