Empowering Change: Inspirational Resources for All Ages
In the spirit of fostering community, understanding, and action, we've curated a collection of resources to inspire and educate. These books, movies, and music selections highlight the impactful lives of famous individuals, particularly minorities, who have driven positive change and improved lives. From children to adults, there's something for everyone to explore the power of collective action, the importance of standing up for what's right, and the belief that we truly are all in this together.
Books That Inspire Change
For Kids:
"The Story of Ruby Bridges" by Robert Coles - The inspiring true story of a young African American girl who helped to integrate the New Orleans public schools in 1960.
"Last Stop on Market Street" by Matt de la Peña - A heartwarming story about a boy and his grandmother and their appreciation for beauty in everyday life.
"Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation" by Duncan Tonatiuh - The story of Sylvia Mendez, a girl who fought for her right to an equal education.
"The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist" by Cynthia Levinson - A powerful account of the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil rights protest.
"Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters" by Barack Obama - A moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation.
"Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters" by Andrea Davis Pinkney - Profiles ten bold women who fought for their rights and changed the course of history.
"Grace for President" by Kelly DiPucchio - A girl named Grace decides to become the first female president.
"Mae Among the Stars" by Roda Ahmed - An inspiring story of Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space.
"She Persisted" by Chelsea Clinton - Introduces kids to thirteen inspirational women who never took no for an answer.
"I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark" by Debbie Levy - The story of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her lifelong fight for equality.
"Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race" by Margot Lee Shetterly and Laura Freeman - The remarkable story of the African American women mathematicians at NASA.
"Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet" by Valentina Camerini - Chronicles Greta Thunberg's rise from a solitary protester to a global activist.
"Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History" by Vashti Harrison - Highlights the achievements of black women who broke barriers and made history.
"Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words" by Karen Leggett Abouraya - The inspiring story of Malala Yousafzai, a young advocate for girls’ education.
"Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos" by Monica Brown - The story of Frida Kahlo and her animal friends that inspired her art and life.
"Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad" by Ellen Levine - The powerful true story of Henry "Box" Brown, who mailed himself to freedom.
"Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis" by Jabari Asim - A glimpse into the childhood of civil rights leader John Lewis.
"Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" by Chris van Wyk - An abridged version for children of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography.
"Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream" by Deloris Jordan - The story of Michael Jordan’s determination and hard work to become a basketball legend.
"Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat" by Javaka Steptoe - A beautiful tale of the childhood of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who overcame challenges to become a renowned artist.
For Teens:
"Becoming" by Michelle Obama - The former First Lady’s memoir encourages teens to become their best selves through resilience and determination.
"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas - A powerful novel about a teen girl who finds her voice after witnessing the shooting of her best friend by the police.
"Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults)" by Bryan Stevenson - A true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us and a call to fix our broken justice system.
"They Called Us Enemy" by George Takei - A graphic memoir recounting Takei's childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II.
"Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi - A reimagining of Kendi’s "Stamped from the Beginning" for young adults, discussing racism and how to be antiracist.
"I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives" by Martin Ganda & Caitlin Alifirenka - A dual memoir about a cross-cultural friendship that started with a pen-pal exchange.
"Shout" by Laurie Halse Anderson - A poetic memoir and call to action from the award-winning author of "Speak," Laurie Halse Anderson.
"The Poet X" by Elizabeth Acevedo - A novel-in-verse about a young girl in Harlem who discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world.
"Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson - A memoir in verse about growing up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement.
"Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March" by Lynda Blackmon Lowery - The youngest person to march from Selma to Montgomery presents her memories of the Civil Rights movement.
"Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time" by Tanya Lee Stone - Offers stories of girls around the globe affected by gender education disparities and how they overcome.
"We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World" by Malala Yousafzai - Malala shares her experiences and those of other girls who have faced displacement.
"This Book Is Anti-Racist" by Tiffany Jewell - An accessible guide for teens to understand their anti-racist role and work towards equality for all.
"Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli - A funny and poignant coming-of-age, coming-out story that explores the importance of being true to oneself.
"The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon - A story about fate, love, and the ways we affect one another’s lives, featuring a teen girl fighting her family’s deportation.
"Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds - A novel told in verse that captures sixty potent seconds of a teenager’s decision to avenge his brother’s death.
"American Street" by Ibi Zoboi - A novel about a teen girl navigating the gap between who she is and who she wants to be when she moves from Haiti to Detroit.
"On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas - This novel tells the story of a young rapper balancing her personal dreams and the realities of her neighborhood.
"Internment" by Samira Ahmed - Set in a near-future United States, a seventeen-year-old and her friends fight against an internment camp for Muslim Americans.
"The Lines We Cross" by Randa Abdel-Fattah - A timely story about a refugee who has fled violence, navigating life in a new country, and a boy whose world is challenged and changed by her arrival.
For Adults:
"The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander - A compelling examination of race and justice in America.
"Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates - A profound work that addresses racial history and its ongoing impact through a letter to the author’s teenage son.
"Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson - Explores the unseen hierarchy in America and its profound effects on society.
"How to Be an Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi - A transformative concept that reenergizes the conversation about racism and provides an actionable guide.
"The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson - Chronicles the decades-long migration of Black citizens fleeing the South.
"Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah - A compelling memoir providing insights into growing up in apartheid South Africa.
"Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption" by Bryan Stevenson - A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us.
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou - The iconic memoir of Angelou’s childhood, filled with both hardship and resilience.
"Educated" by Tara Westover - A memoir about a woman who escapes her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University.
"Becoming" by Michelle Obama - The former First Lady’s memoir is an inspiring account of overcoming obstacles and making a difference.
"An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz - Reinterprets American history from the perspective of Indigenous peoples.
"The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America" by Richard Rothstein - Explores the deliberate segregation in America by law and policy.
"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari - Though broader in scope, this book offers insights into how societal structures evolved, including those concerning race and inequality.
"The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin - A powerful early exploration of race in America in the form of two essays.
"White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism" by Robin DiAngelo - Examines the defensive moves white people make when challenged racially.
"The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present" by David Treuer - Dispels the myth that American Indian history ended at Wounded Knee.
"So You Want to Talk About Race" by Ijeoma Oluo - Offers a contemporary, accessible take on the racial landscape in America, addressing head-on issues like privilege, police brutality, and systemic discrimination.
"The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr." edited by Clayborne Carson - A compilation of Dr. King’s writings, speeches, and interviews.
"Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement" by Angela Y. Davis - Links the struggles against state violence and oppression throughout history and around the world.
"Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City" by Matthew Desmond - Follows eight families in Milwaukee as they struggle to keep a roof over their heads, offering insight into the issues of poverty and economic exploitation.
Graphic Novels
"March" Trilogy by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell - A vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights.
"Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi - The poignant story of a young girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
"Maus" by Art Spiegelman - A haunting tale of survival from the Holocaust, using cats and mice to portray Jews and Nazis.
"American Born Chinese" by Gene Luen Yang - A graphic novel exploring the complexities of race, identity, and adolescence.
"Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic" by Alison Bechdel - A memoir depicting the author's childhood and the complex relationship with her father.
"Watchmen" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - A deconstruction of the idea of superheroes and their impact on society.
"Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet" by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze - A modern reimagining of the Black Panther mythos, focusing on political and social themes.
"V for Vendetta" by Alan Moore and David Lloyd - A dystopian portrayal of a totalitarian England with themes of freedom, rebellion, and identity.
"The Sandman" Series by Neil Gaiman - A blend of mythology, history, and horror, following the adventures of the Dream King.
"Blankets" by Craig Thompson - A coming-of-age autobiography, exploring family, faith, love, and the art of storytelling.
"Saga" by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples - An epic space opera/fantasy comic book series about two lovers from warring extraterrestrial races.
"Ms. Marvel" by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona - The story of Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager who becomes the new Ms. Marvel.
"The Arrival" by Shaun Tan - A silent graphic novel telling a universal story of immigration, belonging, and the experience of being a stranger.
"Sapiens: A Graphic History" by Yuval Noah Harari, adapted by David Vandermeulen and Daniel Casanave - A graphic novel adaptation of Harari’s renowned book, exploring the history of humankind.
"Daytripper" by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá - Explores the quiet moments and significant turning points in the life of one man, Brás de Oliva Domingos.
"Bitch Planet" by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro - A feminist narrative set in a dystopian future where non-compliant women are sent to another planet.
"Mouse Guard" by David Petersen - An intricately detailed world of mice protecting their kingdom.
"Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art" by Scott McCloud - A seminal work exploring the history, meaning, and art of comics and graphic novels.
"Nimona" by Noelle Stevenson - A young shapeshifter teams up with a disgraced knight to overthrow a corrupt regime in this whimsical and poignant tale.
"This One Summer" by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki - A beautifully illustrated story about the transition from childhood to adolescence, set during a summer in a lakeside town.
Movies That Inspire Unity and Action
"Selma" (2014) - A powerful portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.
"Erin Brockovich" (2000) - The true story of a woman’s fight against the energy corporation Pacific Gas and Electric Company after discovering it has poisoned a city’s water supply.
"Hotel Rwanda" (2004) - During the Rwandan genocide, a hotel manager uses his courage and cunning to shelter refugees from certain death.
"Norma Rae" (1979) - A factory worker becomes a union activist after witnessing unsafe working conditions, inspiring her community to fight for their rights.
"The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004) - A biopic on Che Guevara’s transformative motorcycle road trip across South America, shaping his revolutionary future.
"Gandhi" (1982) - The epic biography of Mohandas K. Gandhi, from his days as a lawyer in South Africa to leading India’s non-violent movement for independence.
"Philadelphia" (1993) - A man with AIDS fights against workplace discrimination, bringing light to the stigma and injustice faced by HIV-positive individuals.
"Milk" (2008) - The story of Harvey Milk, and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California's first openly gay elected official.
"Suffragette" (2015) - Depicts the early feminist movement and the women who risked everything for the right to vote in the early 20th century.
"12 Years a Slave" (2013) - Based on an incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom in the pre-Civil War United States.
"Pride" (2014) - U.K. gay activists work to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984.
"The Great Debaters" (2007) - Inspired by a true story, a debate coach at a historically Black college in Texas leads his team to challenge the social norms of their time.
"Spotlight" (2015) - The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese.
"Harriet" (2019) - The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves.
"On the Basis of Gender" (2018) - The inspiring and spirited true story of young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she brings a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturns a century of gender discrimination.
"Hidden Figures" (2016) - The untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history.
"The Color Purple" (1985) - A black Southern woman struggles to find her identity after suffering abuse from her father and others over four decades.
"A Beautiful Mind" (2001) - The life of mathematical genius and Nobel Laureate John Nash, which was dramatically altered by his devastating schizophrenia, and his enduring love story.
"Invictus" (2009) - Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
"Freedom Writers" (2007) - A young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.
A Playlist to Inspire Community and Action
"Blowin' in the Wind" - Bob Dylan
"Redemption Song" - Bob Marley
"Imagine" - John Lennon
"What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
"The Times They Are A-Changin'" - Bob Dylan
"Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Get Up, Stand Up" - Bob Marley
"Fight the Power" - Public Enemy
"Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" - U2
"We Shall Overcome" - Pete Seeger
"Strange Fruit" - Billie Holiday
"Alright" - Kendrick Lamar
"Zombie" - The Cranberries
"War" - Edwin Starr
"American Idiot" - Green Day
"Killing in the Name" - Rage Against the Machine
"This Land Is Your Land" - Woody Guthrie
"A Change Is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
"Mississippi Goddam" - Nina Simone
"Give Peace a Chance" - John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band
"Hurricane" - Bob Dylan
"Beds Are Burning" - Midnight Oil
"People Have the Power" - Patti Smith
"Where Is the Love?" - The Black Eyed Peas
"Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" - James Brown
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" - Marvin Gaye
"London Calling" - The Clash
"For What It's Worth" - Buffalo Springfield
"Talkin' Bout a Revolution" - Tracy Chapman
"Power to the People" - John Lennon
"Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" - Pink Floyd
"Revolution" - The Beatles
"One" - U2
"They Don’t Care About Us" - Michael Jackson
"Biko" - Peter Gabriel
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" - Gil Scott-Heron
"Handlebars" - Flobots
"I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag" - Country Joe and the Fish
"Society" - Eddie Vedder
Conclusion
Through these resources, we hope to inspire individuals of all ages to believe in their ability to enact change. Whether it's through the stories of historical figures who've shaped our world, the creative expression found in movies, or the rallying cry of music, there's power in coming together for a common cause. Let these books, films, and songs motivate you to join the movement, push for change, and see that, indeed, we are all in this together. Let's make our voices heard and stand united in the boycott for a better tomorrow.