LWVAAC continues its Books for Learning program with a discussion of How To Stand Up To A Dictator by renowned international journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maria Ressa. The book is a personal memoir and a portrait of a country’s struggles to battle the forces of populism and social media. Through her own experience, Ressa seeks to understand the rise of authoritarianism around the world and to offer ways to fight back.

Maria Ressa is the co-recipient of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for her work defending freedom of expression and democracy. She is CEO, cofounder, and president of Rappler, the Philippines' top digital news site, and has been a journalist in Asia for over thirty-six years. She was TIME Magazine's Person of the Year in 2018 and won the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize in 2021. Ressa grew up in the Philippines and the United States and currently lives in Manila.

Cynthia Barry, Anne Arundel County College adjunct faculty and LWVAAC member, will moderate the discussion. How to Stand Up to a Dictator is available at county public libraries. Email [email protected] to borrow a copy from the LWVAAC lending library.

Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025

Time: 2:30 to 4.00 p.m.

Place: Busch Annapolis Library, 1410 West St, Annapolis

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Books for Learning, past and present

Since 2016, LWVAAC members have met to discuss current topics and writings through our Books for Learning program. How to Stand Up to a Dictator is our 17th title. Click here for a list of prior readings.