Inspired to Action - by Jean Rawitt (Hardcover)

About the Book

For young readers eager to make a positive impact on the world, Inspired to Action offers the knowledge and tools needed to become successful advocates. With personal stories and advice from 12 young activists, recommendations from seasoned professionals, and helpful resources...

Book Synopsis

For young readers eager to make a positive impact on the world, Inspired to Action offers the knowledge and tools needed to become successful advocates. With personal stories and advice from 12 young activists, recommendations from seasoned professionals, and helpful resources, this book is for anyone who wants to make the world a better place.

Review Quotes

Chock-full of practical advice, encouragement, and inspiration, this book is the indispensable resource that any young person yearning to make change needs. Accessible and engaging, it will become a go-to guide for the next generation of changemakers.

In a conversational voice full of optimism and practicality, Jean Rawitt offers young people a scaffold to support their desire to be agents of change in the larger community. Engaging and inspiring, this book can help you design and construct your path to activism.

In an accessible, informative, engaging, and radically hopeful way, Inspired to Action humanizes the activist experiences of twelve changemakers and offers tools, strategies, and wisdom to support the power of youth. In every social justice crisis young people have made the difference--they have led movements for transformative justice and systemic change!

Inspired to Action empowers youth to impact their world. A comprehensive toolkit and reference guide, the book showcases the stories of young activists in their own words. This combination of expert know-how and down-to-earth heroism will give young people both the confidence and the skills to make their mark for the betterment of us all.

Rawitt, the author of several teen-advice books, uses real-life examples and current resources for this comprehensive guide to changing your world, even as a teen. Readers facing a world full of distressing problems are encouraged to become involved in changemaking. The writer argues that teens have characteristics that make them particularly effective: energy; a willingness to take risks, try new things, and speak out about their passions; and wide-ranging social networks. She begins with stories of 12 young activists, most from the U.S., although three international subjects are included, two from Brazil and one from Uganda. Refreshingly, these are not the usual examples, and they cover a wide variety of causes and projects, from distributing athletic shoes to kids who need them to working for criminal justice reform. The book describes some necessary qualities for successful activism and cites the astute observation of Katie Eder, one of the young people profiled, that being "the odd one out, maybe a bit of a misfit," can help people feel motivated to challenge inequities. Rawitt breaks down activism into fundamentals--understanding your cause, motivating people, organizing, and strategy-building--and offers tips on tools and skills from fundraising through self-care. With plentiful examples and extensive quotations, the densely packed narrative is broken up in ways that will make it less daunting for the intended audience. Text boxes define relevant words and concepts such as canvassing, stakeholder, and pro bono. A helpful guide for would-be advocates.

About the Author

Jean Rawitt is a freelance writer and a consultant for the Department of Volunteer Services at Mount Sinai Hospital (New York). For ten years, she oversaw the hospital's Varsity Volunteer Corps, where she developed and coordinated a program for high-school students to volunteer on hospital inpatient units. Rawitt is the author of Volunteering: Insights and Tips for Teenagers, A Loved One with Dementia: Insights and Tips for Teenagers, and Friendship: Insights and Tips for Teenagers. She lives in New York City.