Sophia Nguyen writes: “This year’s Asian American Literature Festival—the first since 2019—seemed destined to feel special. But just weeks before writers from across the world were due to land, the Smithsonian [Asian Pacific American Center] abruptly canceled the event, citing ‘unforeseen circumstances.’” An open letter from festival partners and participants criticized the decision for its negative impacts on authors and the Asian American community, and suggested ‘that a driving factor behind the festival’s cancellation might have been the Smithsonian’s desire to censor trans and nonbinary programming.’

Washington Post, July 14; WTOP-FM (Washington, D.C.), July 18