The American Library Association (ALA) announced Monday that George Takei will be its honorary chair for Banned Books Week, coming up Oct. 5-11.

Takei, an award-winning actor, New York Times best-selling author and activist, will aim to spread awareness on book bans and censorship, according to the group.

“Books are an essential foundation of democracy,” Takei said in a statement. “Our ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’ depends on a public that is informed and empathetic, and books teach us both information and empathy. Yet the right to read is now under attack from school boards and politicians across America.”

“I’m proud to serve as honorary chair of Banned Books Week, because I remember all too well the lack of access to books and media that I needed growing up

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