Rise up! The art of protest

Beautiful, bold, eye-catching posters from protests around the world over the last 100 years are the focus of this book, which was written in collaboration with Amnesty International. After a foreword by teen activist Mari Copeny, chapters cover protests in support of women's rights, civil rights, world peace, student protests, LGBTQ rights, and environmental issues. Information about Amnesty International's work with human rights is included at the end. The featured posters, which depict events and movements such as the Stonewall riots, Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, and the March for Our Lives, are accompanied by brief explanations of historical significance. Each chapter begins with an inspirational quote from a figure like Margaret Mead, Gloria Steinem, Nelson Mandela, Ban Ki-moon, or David Hogg. Other influential people, like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai, are mentioned, too. These evocative and powerful posters show the impact that an image or statement can have in creating change and will inspire young people to "speak truth to power."

Published in collaboration with Amnesty International, this book combines protest art spanning two centuries with a strong message of encouragement to young activists all over the world.In her foreword, Mari Copeny, who drew President Barack Obama's attention to the Flint water crisis in 2014, exhorts young people to "speak up for ourselves because it's our present, and our future, that are at stake." Each chapter deals with a specific issue, including women's rights, racial justice, peace, youth rights, LGBTQ rights, and environmental issues. A short essay introduces each topic, prefaced by inspirational statements from key activists and politicians, including Gloria Steinem, Nelson Mandela, Ban Ki-moon, and Jane Goodall. The accompanying posters are the main event, most selections covering several decades. Each artwork is accompanied by a detailed caption explaining its significance and the historical situation that inspired it. The statement from David Hogg, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018, sums up the core message of the book. "If you don't make your voices heard in the real world, nothing will change." From the fight for women's suffrage to Black Lives Matter, this book will be a useful tool for students exploring the story of activism.An effective survey of art that speaks truth to power. (Nonfiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Foreword Activism.  Most kids have no idea what this word means. I had no idea what it meant, even when what I was doing was activism. But now activism is a part of who I am. It's a part of who we are as a society. When we see an injustice in the world and stand up and speak out to change it, that's activism.  Youth activists have been at the forefront of many movements. From Black Lives Matter to the fight against climate change, kids today are stepping up and speaking out because we know that the world is ours, too. If we don't help fix the mess that people are making now, it will be way harder for us to fix it in the future.  Today's youth are more connected and more aware of what's going on around us than ever before. We're able to coordinate with others from across the country and build platforms to bring change to the world.  No more sitting around and waiting for the adults to fix things. No more letting our elected politicians make decisions about our lives. It's time for us to speak up for ourselves because it's our present, and our future, that are at stake.  --Mari Copeny  XXX In 2014 officials in Flint, Michigan, switched the city's water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. The improperly treated river water ate away at pipes, causing dangerous chemicals to leach into the water. Thousands of children were exposed to dangerously high levels of lead.  In 2016 eight-year-old Mari Copeny wrote a letter to President Barack Obama about the Flint water crisis. President Obama responded to Mari's letter and visited the city. Mari told him, "You know, I wrote to you!" The president replied, "I know! That's why I decided to come." Thanks in part to Mari's efforts, the federal government granted $100 million to Flint to upgrade its water system.  Today Mari "Little Miss Flint" Copeny continues to raise awareness of Flint's struggle to recover from the water crisis. She has also raised more than $500,000 to help the city's children. Excerpted from Rise up! the Art of Protest by Jo Rippon All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.