Stand Up!: 75 Young Activists Who Rock the World

by John Schlimm

Through their own voices and spirited calls to action, 75 of the world's most dynamic young activists share their extraordinary stories in this generation-defining collection for students, parents, teachers, volunteers, and community service leaders. Tapping into today's global youth movement where social entrepreneurship and activism merge at the intersection of business, pop culture, and nonprofit work, these stories showcase young men and women—some of whom started their efforts as early as three years of age—bringing savvy compassion and unstoppable courage to and from locations all over the world, including Africa, Pakistan, India, Peru, Colombia, Afghanistan, and the United States. Whether building freshwater wells in developing nations, fighting discrimination, saving animals, or honoring heroic soldiers, these are the young people on the frontlines, from mountain peaks to rain forests to school gardens and classrooms, changing the world for the better.

280 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2013

About the author

John Schlimm is a Harvard-trained educator, artist, activist, and international award-winning writer.

His newest book is EXTRAORDINARY DOGS: Stories From Search and Rescue Dogs, Comfort Dogs, and Other Canine Heroes. John’s other books include the Christopher Award-winning memoir Five Years in Heaven: The Unlikely Friendship That Answered Life’s Greatest Questions; Moonshine: A Celebration of America’s Original Rebel Spirit; Stand Up!: 75 Young Activists Who Rock the World, And How You Can, Too!; and a series of plant-based cookbooks, including The Tipsy Vegan, Grilling Vegan Style, The Cheesy Vegan, and The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Happy Hour.

A professor in the Communication and the Arts Division at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, John has also traveled the country speaking about inspirational/motivational topics, cooking, entertaining, and public relations, including his "Embrace Compassion, Change the World" keynote address on Capitol Hill and his rousing commencement address titled “The Road to YES is Paved with Many NO’s”.

He has appeared on such national media outlets as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, NPR, Martha Stewart Living's Everyday Food, The Splendid Table, QVC, and Fox & Friends.

As an artist, John is the creator of such Participatory Art pieces as Planting COMPASSION; The Garden of Gratitude; and THE SMILE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours), which has been installed at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, as well as in Canada and Washington, D.C.