A Letter from Jamia

Make Good Trouble aims to illuminate how young trailblazers have made a difference across the globe for over a century. This book draws inspiration from past and present youth activists like John Lewis, Sophie Scholl, Greta Thunberg, Bernadette Devlin, Tiananmen Square student activists, and more, as well as the courage of sung and unsung heroes who changed the course of history.

Youth-led movements continue to surge today, tackling pressing issues such as climate justice, gun violence, gender justice, disability justice, educational equity, racial justice, economic justice, peace movements, and more.

Part of the inspiration for this book came from my lingering frustration with rhetoric that blames youth apathy for low voter turnout. In addition to building awareness and spotlighting history that we can learn from today, I aim to show young people that their voices and actions matter and that they can contribute to the change we need in the world in myriad ways.

Overall, I wrote this book to show that we can harness our collective power to make a meaningful impact in the world no matter who we are and where we live. Together, we can bring about the change we want to see, and this book is a testament to those who have enlivened their vision, values, and ideas to change lives worldwide.