Protecting Freedom of Expression with Marianne Borgen, Sara Rose, Larry Siems & Patrick Fisher

Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. It is through journalistic and artistic expression that we understand ourselves and our stories, build empathy, and reflect critically on our society. In an era of increasing global authoritarianism, how do we protect the work and lives of those who speak truth to power? This panel will feature Marianne Borgen, who from 2015–2023 was the Mayor of Oslo in Norway and currently serves as an ICORN board member; Sara Rose, Deputy Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania; and Larry Siems, writer, journalist, and Chief of Staff at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Together, they will discuss their essential frontline work of defending freedom of expression. The discussion will be moderated by Patrick Fisher, CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

Note: This program will be hosted at the Center for Education, Innovation & Training (CEIT) at the Community College of Allegheny County (806 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15233)

About the Moderator:

Patrick Fisher is an innovative and dynamic leader with a deep commitment to the intersection of the arts and community building. He joined the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council as CEO in 2023, bringing with him a diverse background shaped by unconventional life experiences,
including traveling across North America in a van with his three-legged dog, living in a dry cabin in Alaska, and couchsurfing while traveling abroad. These experiences have solidified his sense of self and fueled his passion for using the arts as a tool for social transformation. Patrick’s
career trajectory began in 2016 when he worked for the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, followed by his role as Executive Director of Erie Arts & Culture, where he deepened his dedication to fostering inclusive, community-driven cultural experiences.

As a culture worker, Patrick is dedicated to dismantling barriers to access and participation in the arts, particularly in under-resourced communities. He believes in the power of the arts to inspire individuals, organizations, and neighborhoods to move beyond survival and embrace collective aspirations. His approach is rooted in activism, with a focus on empowering residents, artists, and culture-bearers to be active participants in shaping the social and cultural fabric of their communities. Patrick’s work is centered on amplifying voices and identities, and creating spaces where people connect emotionally to the places they inhabit through creative expression. His leadership reflects a strong belief in the transformative power of the arts to build social connections, promote equity, and foster inclusive cultural engagement.

About the Panelists:

Marianne Borgen was elected Mayor by the City Council in October 2015. She has a degree in sociology from the University of Oslo with a specialization in social policies and medical sociology. She has worked with children’s rights on both the national and international levels for more than 25 years. She is currently on leave from her position as Head of Department at Save the Children, Norway. As Oslo’s Mayor, Marianne is particularly concerned about children’s and young people’s rights and the conditions in which they grow up. Through her work as the Head of Office at the Ombudsman for Children and at Save the Children, she has worked in particular with the prevention of violence and assault against children, and the situation of the children of asylum seekers and minors who seek asylum.

Sara Rose is the deputy legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. She litigates cases involving a wide range of civil liberties issues, including free speech, religious liberty, privacy, police misconduct, immigrants’ rights, students’ rights, prisoners’ rights, parents’ rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and due process. Before joining the ACLU of Pennsylvania in 2006, she worked for Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Student Press Law Center. She received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and her undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she served as a news editor for The Diamondback student newspaper.

Larry Siems’ career in human rights and free expression advocacy includes 17 years directing Freedom to Write and International Programs for PEN, the international writers’ organization. At PEN, he designed and coordinated global campaigns to protect writers and defend the right of all to freedom of expression, and supported the efforts of writers in more than a dozen countries to defend journalism, literature, and free speech. He has served as Chief of Staff at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University since 2017. Larry is also a writer and journalist who has published widely on immigration, cross-cultural issues, human rights, and free expression violations in the US and around the world. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Granta, The Nation, Aztlán, Epoch, and Southern Poetry Review. His books include Between the Lines: Letters Between Mexican and Central American Immigrants and Their Families and Friends and The Torture Report: What the Documents Say About America’s Post-9/11 Torture Program. He also edited, annotated, and introduced Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s New York Times bestseller, Guantánamo Diary, which has been published in 27 countries and 22 languages, and collaborated with Mohamedou on his novel, The Actual True Story of Ahmed and Zarga.