While author Luis Alberto Urrea is in town for the Tucson Festival of Books, you can also catch him on Sunday, March 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Maynards, 400 N. Toole Ave., for a Save Ethnic Studies benefit to raise funds for the ongoing litigation between the 11 TUSD ethnic studies teachers and AG Tom Horne (former state Superintendent of Public Instruction and author of the ethnic studies law).

Suggested donation for the event is $20, students are free.

From the event press release:

Urrea’s The Devil’s Highway is one of the books that has come under fire from the Arizona Superintendent of Public Education’s office in Phoenix. Last summer, Arizona HB 2281 was passed seeking to eliminate ethnic studies programs throughout the state and particularly targeting the Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican American studies program. The bill passed with the endorsement of senator Russell Pearce (author of SB 1070) and former Superintendent of Public Instruction (now attorney general) Tom Horne.

Upset by the notion of the state government attempting to limit academic freedom, Urrea offered to do a benefit event for the Save Ethnic Studied movement while in town for the Tucson Festival of Books. He is encouraging other authors who will be at the festival to join him at the Maynards event.

For more information contact the Save Ethnic Studies program at 520-975-1485 or info@ethnicstudies.org