Trevor Timm speaks about freedom of the press.
Over two decades ago, a program was initiated that has now become a proud community tradition: the Suffield Hall of Honor. This ceremony, sponsored by the Suffield Foundation for Excellent Schools (SFES), first began in 2003 with its initial group of honorees celebrated as graduates of Suffield High School who have found exceptional success in their fields of endeavor.
As a senior at Suffield High School that spring, Trevor Timm was among the students experiencing that ceremony and the testimonials and inspiring stories and speeches of these graduates. Thirteen years later, in 2016, Trevor was among that year’s inductees who are selected by the SFES every four years (with some stops and starts recently due to Covid). Trevor joined this illustrious group of SHS alumni for his role as co-founder and executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that protects and defends press freedom in the 21st century, among his many other achievements.
On May 8, the Suffield Public Library Foundation (SPLF) is sponsoring a talk at Suffield High School by Trevor Timm related to contemporary issues with freedom of the press. The Suffield Public Library Foundation has sponsored a number of events in the community over the years featuring major figures of their fields, including author Andre Dubus III, musician and author Steve Katz, and SHS grad Greg Butler, an Oscar-winning master of visual effects. Now, the SPLF is proud to sponsor this talk with a leading figure in the field of press freedom and its importance to America and the world, SHS alumnus Trevor Timm.
Trevor has been working as a lawyer, journalist and advocate for press freedom for many years, and his writing and opinions have been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, The Atlantic, Harvard Law & Policy Review, and Politico, along with a column he has authored for The Guardian. Earlier in his career, he worked with James Goodale, the general counsel for the New York Times, in the publication of his book Fighting for the Press, which explored Goodale’s experiences related to the Pentagon Papers and the First Amendment.
One area of investigation that will certainly be discussed during this talk with Trevor is the importance of local press in American history and the ways in which freedom of the press has impacted the role of local newspapers. Through his writing and groundbreaking work with the Freedom of the Press Foundation, Trevor has been also working to illustrate the idea that press freedom should not be a partisan issue, that this Constitutionally-based right is intrinsic to the welfare of a functioning democracy. There will undoubtedly be a variety of topics related to press freedom and the role of journalism in our society covered in the talk with Trevor, who has been a regular speaker in many forums, including as a TED fellow.
The Suffield Public Library Foundation is hosting this event at the Suffield High School Auditorium on May 8 at 7 p.m. The event is free with a suggested donation of $5 to benefit the Suffield Public Library Foundation and the Freedom of the Press Foundation.