Youth Activism

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Just a little more than a year ago the United States found itself witnessing the harsh reality that Black people have had to internalize for countless dawns and dusks.

Protests with the declaration “Black Lives Matter” permeated the country, demanding that George Floyd’s murderer be brought to justice. On June 25th 2021, nearly a year after the first protests, Derek Chauvin was found guilty on three counts.

While this gave many people hope in our justice system, many of us still believe that systemic racism remains a problem that we must continue to reckon with if a powerful change is to come.

The work that must be done may be institutional or imaginative, systemic or spiritual or, more likely, a combination of these approaches. Whatever methods we choose, peaceful protests, such as Black Lives Matter, will continue to inspire future activists.

This selection of nonfiction books reveals the stories of dauntless activists past and present to educate and inspire the youth of today.

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How to Change Everything

Naomi Klein, offers young readers a comprehensive look at the state of the climate today and how we got here, while also providing the tools they need to join this fight to protect and reshape the planet they will inherit.  



This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work

Active anti-racism means learning, doing, and undoing. Educator and activist Tiffany Jewell guides you through 20 activities to spark anti-racism in your life and grow your knowledge of social identities, the history of racism, historical and current oppression, and paths of hope. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby. This title is also available as an eBook or eAudio on Hoopla.


The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets

Learn about the Stonewall Riots, a series of spontaneous, often violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBTQ+) community in reaction to a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The Riots are attributed as the spark that ignited the LGBTQ+ Movement. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby or as eBook on Hoopla.