Disclaimer: I haven't been to literary functions at the Los Angeles Public Library's Downtown location since the Newer Poets readings ceased. But I've followed the ALOUD purgings (apparently due to wanting allegedly less staid, younger and/or larger-attendance author interview gatherings similar to those sponsored by Skylight Books and Live Talks Los Angeles) with interest and concern over marginalization of a significant segment of the local literature community.
Here's a link to an ALOUD Update statement published today on the CULTURAL WEEKLY site:
https://www.culturalweekly.com/aloud-update-ad-hoc-committee-statement/
A relevant paragraph:
Three people testified before the Library Commission on November 8, but were told the Commission could do nothing about the Foundation’s personnel decisions. At that time, we were informed that the Foundation had hired a PR firm specializing in crisis management. The week before Thanksgiving, we began to see the results of their campaign. The Foundation issued a statement saying that they had asked for and gotten a temporary restraining order against one of the group of people who had been protesting at ALOUD events. The statement claimed Foundation President Ken Brecher had been “attacked” by this protestor; the statement then quoted Board Chair Gwen Miller as saying that we petitioners had also been attacking and intimidating the Foundation by sending emails to members of their board and to their supporters. This attempt to portray the Foundation as the victim and those protesting their decisions as out-of-bounds illustrates the mindset of those in charge.
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