As many of you know, I have this bleeding heart change the world philosophy. I embrace the mindset that we can change the world by giving a leg up to one person at a time, or creating an organization that helps many. I wanted to take my proverbial hat off to a few of the authors I know who are doing just this:
Heather Brewer ROCKS
I had the privilege to meet Auntie Heather at RT last year and got to sit and talk with her in a veritable circle of who’s who in the world of YA and Romance. (The bar got packed so we took it into the hall. Hotels are never prepared for romance authors). She spoke a bit about her upcoming Less Than Three conference. I really wanted to be a part of it, but got to her too late and she was completely booked with people. (And plus, you know, I’m pretty much a NO ONE compared to the rest of her attendees!) Circle of Three is an AH-MAZING anti-bullying conference that includes teens, authors, teachers and librarians and takes place this October. You want to go to this, you really do. Attendees include David Levithan, Susan Colsanti and Carrie Jones, among many other incredible authors.
Ellen Hopkins ROCKS!
Ellen Hopkins writes gritty hard hitting books out of gritty hard hitting poetry. I had the honor of seeing her in action at the Eugene public Library last year with a friend and was completely blown away by her honesty. Because of personal reasons, (Her daughter became involved in drugs and was lost to the family for many years), Ellen started Ventana Sierra Inc. Ventana Sierra is a non-profit organization that helps give disadvantaged youth the skills they need to live independently including vocational training and resources. What do 18-year-old foster teens do when their foster families kick them out? Ventana Sierra provides these young adults with a two year program to help them get on their feet and build an independent life.
John Green ROCKS!
John Green is not just a phenomenal writer—his brilliance expands into many other things including the Project for Awesome which is an opportunity to showcase nonprofits in a YouTube video and get financing for it via Kiva. He and his brother, Hank, also do a public service by creating videos that explain in layman’s terms things that we all want to know like climate change and current events. Also Crash Course, which explains many of the most important moments in history in an unforgettable way! Talk about decreasing worldwide suck by way of education!
These three amazing people make my efforts to change the world look puny! Do you know of any other young adult authors who are changing the world? Hit me up!
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