No matter who you are and where you live, you have to admit there are problems in every country and the world. They are individual and global issues, and each one affects us differently. You may be passionate about gun violence, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter, poverty, war, global warming, or hundreds of other issues. Even looking at just one and what it takes to make a difference can seem overwhelming. What can we do? Where do we start?
The Winged Pen does not talk politics. Our purpose is to support children, primarily through writing and reading. So I asked myself what the purpose of a book is. To me, books are to entertain, to teach, and hopefully to inspire. In my opinion, that’s exactly what HOW I RESIST: ACTIVISM AND HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION does.
An all-star collection of essays about activism and hope, edited by authors Maureen Johnson and Tim Federle.
Now, more than ever, young people are motivated to make a difference in a world they’re bound to inherit. They’re ready to stand up and be heard – but with much to shout about, where they do they begin? What can I do? How can I help?
HOW I RESIST is the response, and a way to start the conversation. To show readers that they are not helpless, and that anyone can be the change. A collection of essays, songs, illustrations, and interviews about activism and hope, How I Resist features an all-star group of contributors, including, John Paul Brammer, Libba Bray, Lauren Duca, Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his husband Justin Mikita, Alex Gino, Hebh Jamal, Malinda Lo, Dylan Marron, Hamilton star Javier Muñoz, Rosie O’Donnell, Junauda Petrus, Jodi Picoult, Jason Reynolds, Karuna Riazi, Maya Rupert, Dana Schwartz, Dan Sinker, Ali Stroker, Jonny Sun (aka @jonnysun), Sabaa Tahir, Daniel Watts, Jennifer Weiner, Jacqueline Woodson, and more
In HOW I RESIST, readers will find hope and support through voices that are at turns personal, funny, irreverent, and instructive. Not just for a young adult audience, this incredibly impactful collection will appeal to readers of all ages who are feeling adrift and looking for guidance. (Goodreads)
The essays, poems, and songs in this book not only teach us ways we can resist, but they give us insight into what it’s like to live someone else’s life, for a brief time at least. To be a different sex or race, to be gay or persecuted because of your religion. You don’t have to be a minority to want, DEMAND, changes, you just have to open your heart and mind. In doing so, you may find you are not as different as you think.
As Maya Rupert wrote in her essay Wonder: Imagining a Black Wonder Woman, she felt a real connection with Wonder Woman (played by Linda Carter in 1975.) They were both outsiders on two levels. Wonder Woman’s powers set her apart from other humans, but because of her gender, she was relegated to secretary. At a young age, Rupert’s race set her apart from white classmates and her gender marked her as inferior.
This book also reminds us that there’s no one right way to resist. The way we choose to resist are as individual as we are. Below are some examples from the authors:
- Be outwardly active – participate in marches, call your government officials at the local, state, and federal levels, vote.
- Get involved – volunteer to help a candidate you support, encourage others to vote, join groups that support the causes you believe in.
- Educate yourself – read about your cause. Pay attention to the sources and make sure they are legitimate.
- Share – share your stories about your passion and listen to the stories of others. As Jodi Picoult wrote in her essay: What changes minds, I have found, are not statistics, but human beings.
HOW I RESIST: ACTIVISM AND HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION is not just a book for teens. There are lessons and suggestions here for everyone. No one is too young or too old to open their minds to new ideas and resist.
HOW I RESIST comes out May 15, 2018. You can preorder it everywhere including Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and IndiBound. And don’t forget to mark it Want to Read at Goodreads.
HALLI GOMEZ teaches martial arts and writes for children and young adults because those voices flow through her brain. She enjoys family, outdoors, reading, and is addicted to superhero movies. She’s represented by Deborah Warren of East West Literary Agency. You can find Halli on Twitter.
