In this episode of How They See Us, Denise Herd sits down with Nichelle M. Hayes, Executive Director of the Hurston/Wright Foundation and longtime advocate for literacy and access, to unpack how restrictions on books connect to broader efforts to limit Black creativity, speech, and historical truth.

This conversation goes beyond the headlines. Together, they explore why Black stories are often at the center of censorship debates, how book restrictions impact students and communities, and what it means when history is treated as optional rather than essential.