Five 1A Questions With New Freedom Forum Fellow Allison Matulli

Allison Matulli is a new fellow for the First Amendment at Freedom Forum. She is a Fulbright Global Scholar with a focus on law, a renowned children’s author, and an education reform activist. She is the founder of The Little Lawyers, an organization that excites and empowers children to learn the law. She serves as a criminal justice adjunct professor at Florida International University and affiliate faculty at FIU’s Maurice A. Ferré Institute for Civic Leadership. Learn more about Matulli’s background and expertise here.

As a Fulbright Global Scholar, you’ve done research on free speech in several countries. How has living outside the United States informed how you view the First Amendment?

My research project “One World, One Voice” began my academic quest when I received the coveted Fulbright Global Scholar Award. I started a journey as FIU's first-ever Fulbright Global Scholar that focuses on the condition of youth free speech globally, which has helped me better grasp the uniqueness and fragility of the First Amendment. Having lived in Italy, Argentina, and the UK, as well as traveling to more than 40 countries, I have direct experience with the diverse perspectives on free speech held by people all over the world, particularly among vibrant young people in various nations.

I have come to understand that speaking out — whether on campus, online, off-campus, or in the digital space — requires digital literacy and an awareness of one’s rights from a young age as digital citizenship continues to evolve. We are at a crossroads between the potential for censorship — or worse, in some locations — and the risk of free speech allowing the unchecked spread of harmful content in others.

As a Fulbright Global Scholar studying international speech rights, it is clear to me that while the U.S. First Amendment is exceptional, it is not impregnable. Governments must strike a delicate balance between safeguarding children’s safety and preserving free speech. Both complete deregulation and strict censorship present significant risks. This is a global issue, a human issue.

You’ve written several children’s books, including "Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment." What inspired you to write this book, and why is it important to educate young people about the First Amendment?

This book is personal. I wrote it because I know what it’s like to grow up without truly understanding my rights, and when I became a teacher, I saw many kids who lacked that same knowledge. And let me tell you: When I finally learned about them as an adult, sitting in a classroom at Howard University School of Law, a place that molded the very legal minds behind the Civil Rights Movement, it hit me like a lightning bolt. My HUSL journey caused me to ask many questions: Why hadn’t I learned about these rights as a child? Why weren’t kids taught — from the start — that their voices matter? What was I going to do about it?

These questions set my mind on fire. As I had gained vital tools at HUSL to be a social engineer, this made me determined to bring the law — especially the First Amendment — into spaces where it was missing and, especially, to our children.

The First Amendment isn’t some abstract legal concept; it’s alive in every part of kids’ lives! It’s in what they say, what they wear, what they post online. And if they don’t understand it, how can they use it? How can they stand up when someone tries to take it away? History shows us that young people have always been on the front lines roaring for change. As John Lewis said, “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” But first, you must know how.

That’s what “Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment” is all about, handing kids the ultimate power tool: knowledge of their own rights. It is written for kids, just like me, who grew up without a lawyer in my house, who have questions and can read stories of other real kids out in this great nation using those freedoms. Because once they understand their First Amendment rights, there’s no stopping them. Freedom is power.

We understand you have another book in the works. Can you tell us about that?

Indeed! The two upcoming Disney picture books include “I Am Because We Are,” which delves into the oneness of humanity based on the African philosophy of Ubuntu, and “Patriot,” a forthcoming picture book that examines what it truly means to love one's nation. Both challenge young readers to think critically about the richness of community, relationships, humanness and the liberties that we sometimes take for granted. They are closely linked to my love for justice and free expression. I am also thrilled to be writing a second First Amendment book that will excite and plant these vital seeds into the fertile soil of even younger readers, those between the ages of 0 and 5, just starting to use their voices to uplift ideas, big or small. And there's still a lot more to come; this is only the beginning!

I am, as my auntie always told me when I spent hours upon hours writing in my countless journals as a kid, a storyteller. As the world-famous author and scholar Maya Angelou once said, “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter their color.” I am a weaver. The power of reading and writing allows us to do this important work and weave these threads together, creating a world where every voice is heard, valued and celebrated. I am because we are!

What is the most common misperception Americans have about the First Amendment?

That it protects you from everything. As I tell my students when we dive into cases, it doesn’t. The First Amendment stops the government from restricting speech, but private companies, schools and employers can set their own rules. People love to shout “free speech” when facing consequences, because it is part of the American fabric. But free speech doesn’t mean speech without accountability. As Marian Wright Edelman said, “The challenge of social justice is to evoke a sense of community that we need to make our nation a better place, just as we make it a safer place.”

The First Amendment isn’t just about individual rights; it’s about how we use them to build a just and accountable society. This constitutional construction kit is not just about free speech. And that brings me to another massive misperception that I will sneak right in here. The First Amendment guarantees five giant powers: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the right to petition the government. These are not just words; they are the boom behind every fight for justice in this country. Without all five working together, our democracy would be as shaky as a house of cards in a hurricane. That’s why knowing your rights isn’t just important — it’s powerful.

What’s the most common question you are asked about the First Amendment?

"Do kids really have First Amendment rights?" My answer is always yes. Schools, courts and history itself have proven that young people are not just participants in democracy; they are often its fiercest defenders. I had the pleasure of interviewing Mary Beth Tinker, whose landmark U.S. Supreme Court case settled this question for kids in the United States, for my book “Your Freedom, Your Power.” Known as a fierce defender, I most recall her humble nature and often think about what it must have been like to be "just a girl" (as she defined herself) forever part of history as a defender of children's First Amendment rights.

As a lover of and a former history teacher, I love bringing up the Greek word for fearless speech, parrhesia, when I think of the bold actions kids are willing to take. In Greek comedy, parrhesia was often used by characters who dared to question authority or expose unsettling truths. But it wasn’t just about talking — it was about courage. True parrhesia was not just blah, blah, blah; it was bold. It meant speaking the truth, defying the majority and sometimes even facing punishment for it. When looking through this historical lens, one could say that when young people stomp out of schools in protest, clap back at unfair regulations, or roar for change, they are breathing life into the ancient spirit of parrhesia — fearless, unshakable truth-telling that keeps democracy alive and kicking.