Sarah Prentice was 11 when her favorite wizard was, too.
"I quite literally grew up with Harry Potter," she said.
But Prentice’s teachers told students the wizard’s words were satanic, and they banned students from bringing the book to school.
On Thursday, the "Harry Potter" books, along with about 20 others, were displayed in front of Library West as part of Banned Books Week, a celebration to highlight literature that has been banned from libraries and schools.
"We’re defending the access to information," said Prentice, a UF graduate who organized Thursday’s open-mic event that allowed anyone to read from a banned book.
Among the pile of books was "The Catcher In the Rye" and "The Hunger Games" series.
"I just think about all of these books that I loved," she said, "and how sad it would be if I never actually had access to them."
Prentice said there were about 40 attendees.
UF political science sophomore Yousef Alghawi approached the microphone and recited "America" by Allen Ginsberg.
"I’m sick of your insane demands..." the 20-year-old said, his voice echoing. "America, stop pushing. I know what I’m doing."
Alghawi said he considers the idea of censorship absurd.
"Knowledge shouldn’t be taboo," he said. "You’re taking away part of what makes a person a person."
Prentice said about 35 percent of book bans and challenges are carried out by concerned parents.
The American Library Association tracks these challenges, releasing an annual list on its website.
UF English and classical studies senior Brianna Tringali said parents should be responsible for teaching their children, not censoring what’s around them.
"You’re trying to shield your child from lessons they’re going to have to learn anyways," the 20-year-old said after reading from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
As the crowd dispersed around 2 p.m., Prentice packed up the books.
"I’m glad I had the opportunity to arrange something like this," she said. "And hopefully somebody goes home and reads a book."
Max Dunevitz, a 19-year-old electrical engineering sophomore, thumbs though “Literature Suppressed on Social Grounds” by Dawn B. Sova at Banned Book Week celebrations. The event was a good way to “talk about all literature without social context,” he said. “We have to think about the future of what will be banned.”
Andrea Miranda, a 20-year-old UF political science junior, flips through a book, “America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction,” by The Daily Show and Jon Stewart at an event celebrating Banned Books Week in the Plaza of the Americas Oct. 1, 2015. She said there was a common theme to all the banned books from the present and past. “They are very liberal or have something against God, which makes sense in some places,” Miranda said.
Haylee Hammond (left), an 18-year-old pre-pharmacy freshman, and Charlie Carrington, an 18-year-old finance freshman, listen to a passage from George Orwell’s book “1984” during a reading at the Banned Book Week event Sept. 30, 2015. This week nationally celebrates the freedom to read books that have been previously banned or are still banned today.
Virginia Stanton, a 21-year-old biology and philosophy senior, reads from her favorite book, “A Brave New World.” She had to read the book in highschool but quickly fell in love. “Some books you have to push through,” Stanton said. “This book changed the way you think.”
Library West celebrates Banned Books Week on the Plaza of the Americas by inviting students and faculty to read from their favorite banned books Oct. 1, 2015. Students surrounded a table covered in previously or currently banned books, pulled from the library’s shelves. Free pizza was served to anyone who stopped by.
