Young Revolutionaries Who Rock: An Insider’s Guide to Saving the World One Revolution at a Time, is written by youth activist Dallas Jessup, who was 13 years old when she founded Just Yell Fire to help girls learn to protect themselves against sexual assault. Now 19, she encourages other kids to find a way to make a difference in the world, as well.
Dallas Jessup Starts Just Yell Fire
Jessup encourages kids to think about “what makes them angry,” and then to find a way to address that need using their own individual skills and talents. For example, Jessup discovered her cause when she heard about the story of Carlie Brucia, an eleven year old who grabbed her, took her away, and then raped and murdered her. Using her talents as a martial artist and street fighter, she decided that the way she would work to “fix what was broken,” would be to produce a short film that utilized basic street fighting techniques to teach young girls how to protect themselves from potential sexual assault.
The film, Just Yell Fire, took off in ways Jessup never expected. It has been downloaded by girls all over the world, and Jessup has since expanded her mission to include numerous speaking engagements and training programs to further promote her revolution.
Young Revolutionaries
In Young Revolutionaries Who Rock, Jessup profiles 10 other kids who have gotten angry and made a difference. In addition, she uses what she has learned on her own journey to inspire and lead other would-be youth activists. Written with the premise that she and the other young people she profiles are just regular kids like everyone else, she helps readers to understand that the ability to create amazing change lies in all of them. Some of the Young Revolutionaries Jessup presents include:
- Niha Jain create Generation United to Succeed, an organization dedicated to funding and improving women's shelters in her community.
- At fourteen, Claire Crawford, who was born with a cleft palate, started an Claire's Bears to distribute teddy bears with cleft palates to children in the hospital awaiting cleft palate surgery.
- Daniel Feldman, who started Kids Feeding Kids, utilizing bake sales and other fundraisers to help feed hungry children.
Motivating Future Youth Activists
The most appealing aspect of the book is Jessup’s encouraging tone. Teen readers will feel as if they have their own personal coach to help inspire and motivate them. In parts, the book almost reads like a conversation between two friends; its breezy, down to earth style will grab teen readers from the start. Using actual stories of teen revolutionaries Jessup has encountered during her experiences, she paints a picture of possibilities to motivate aspiring youth activists.
Jessup provides a sensible and clear blueprint kids can use to start their own revolution, plus advice on how to manage the inevitable roadblocks. Jessup encourages kids to think big but start small so they don’t become overwhelmed and abandon their ideas. Teens who are looking for that little extra push to get started will find it here, along with stories about the cool experiences, media coverage, and celebrity photo ops Jessup has had along the way. Despite the inclusion of these, Jessup never strays from her mission: to inspire kids to do great things.
Every teen should read Young Revolutionaries Who Rock. Those who are already leading will find the inspiration to make their ideas bigger and bolder. Likewise, for those who haven’t yet discovered their own personal power, this book may be the spark they need.
Reference:
Jessup, Dallas. Young Revolutionaries Who Rock, An Insider's Guide to Saving the World One Revolution at a Time, Portland, OR: Sutton Hart Press, 2009.
Susan Carney - I have been working as a middle school counselor with 6th and 7th grade students for the past thirteen years. I received a BA in ...
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