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Nakita Simpson
Nakita (she/her) is an art director, designer, and illustrator. Simply put, she’s someone who draws words for a living. She’s a lifelong learner who explores creativity professionally in the advertising industry and personally through building and supporting mentorship opportunities for creatives from untraditional backgrounds.
Elizabeth Tom
Elizabeth Tom (she/her) is a high schooler who enjoys basketball, swimming, softball, and most of all horseback riding. She dreams of one day becoming an equine veterinarian. A hope of hers is to see people simply love people. Every day she is excited to see how God works in her life.
Next Up
Next Up is a nonprofit organization in Oregon. It’s the next generation doing democracy right—mobilizing and uplifting young voters and their voices to envision resilient and joyful communities by building an inclusive democracy of collaboration, innovation, justice, and authenticity.
Contributions to this book made by: Amanda Squiemphen-Yazzie, Devin Ruiz, Amira Tripp Folsom, Izzy Dacones-Rowland, Isabela Villarreal, and Samantha Gladu.
David Kim
David Kim (he/him) was born in Seoul, Korea, but is now pastoring in Silicon Valley where there is constant change! And as a husband and father of 2 young girls, he is still learning to navigate change with them every day!
You can find him online at davidjanghyunkim.com.
Interested in bringing David Kim to your school or event? Visit TopYouthSpeakers.com
Stephen Green & Edmund Holmes
Stephen Green (he/him) is a recovering banker and an average dad of 3 who thanks his lucky stars each day that he got to marry his best friend.
Edmund "Mundo" Holmes (he/him) creates art that brings focus to different perspectives and stretches your brain. He loves learning new things, spreading good vibes, and sharing positive energy.
Angela N. Frazier
Soraya Sutherlin
Soraya Sutherlin is a Certified Emergency Manager with over 13 years of experience. She is a mother to 3 kids and works across the USA helping families, cities, and states better prepare for emergencies and disasters. She also works with JUDY, a leader in the emergency preparedness space, to help empower families with the knowledge and tools for disaster planning.
Billie Jean King
One of the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport, Billie Jean King (she/her) used her success on the court as a platform to create a legacy of equality. Born and raised in Long Beach, California, King has been recognized around the world for championing equal rights and opportunities for all.
TEDxPortland
TEDxPortland is a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization. Our speakers and performers share ideas on a wide range of topics to bring people together and spark deep discussion and connection.
Contributions to this book made by:
Cathey Armillas, Greg Bell, Stephen Green, Jelani Memory, David Rae, and Amy Wolff.
LeVar Burton
Ara Katz
Lalo
Greg Davidson (he/him) and Michael Wieder (he/him) are the co-founders of Lalo, and each have 2 little ones. They’re committed to supporting families and changing the way parents shop for their kids. Jenny Zych (she/her) is an illustrator living in upstate New York with her husband and 2 dogs. She loves making delightful images for all to enjoy.
Harold Hughes
Harold Hughes (he/him) is a first-generation American who was raised in a Jamaican household. As a startup founder and dad to Carter and Camryn, he lives the importance of work-life prioritization, not balance. Harold and his wife, Tiffany, are raising their kids in Austin, Texas. He is co-leading Black@ to foster community and bring more Black people into the Web3 space.
Fabian Ramirez
David S. Anderson & Blake Fleischacker
The Dodo
Ethan Thrower
Denise Morales Soto & Andrea Campos
Denise Morales Soto (she/her) is a writer from Utuado, PR. She’s dedicated her life to books because she believes they're the closest thing we have to magic.
Andrea Campos (she/her) is a Mexican American author & illustrator. Andrea is committed to inclusive storytelling, demonstrated by the people and cultures showcased in her work.
Tanya Iovino & Kiki Kouris
Brennan C. Wood
Suzy Ultman
Suzy Ultman (she/her) is an illustrator, product designer, toy creator, and bookmaker of sophisticated objects that inspire and delight young and old alike. Suzy’s signature products celebrate creativity, connection, and community in the world around us.
Jonathan Simcoe
Jonathan Simcoe is endlessly curious! By day, he explores creativity through technology, and by night, he discovers the world’s mysteries with his wife and kids through books, adventure, and life.
Ben Sand
Ben (he/him) is a social entrepreneur who is convinced we can bust through the tension if we think differently and act with courage. Ben leads an organization called The Contingent, which is building a movement of people trained for action: www.thecontingent.org.
Jamie Letourneau
Jamie Letourneau (she/her) makes illustrations as an extension of herself to help humans navigate and share ideas and emotions. She can also be found slinging sentimental paper goods under her company: Meander Ink, biking around Portland, Oregon, and unashamedly waving at all of the dogs.
Dr. Laymon Hicks
Dr. Laymon Hicks (he/him) is a motivational speaker whose mission is to help young people overcome their obstacles and get back up. From troubled youth to obtaining a doctorate by the age of 29, his words are empowering, and his message is practical. He lives in Florida.
Interested in bringing Dr. Laymon Hicks to your school or event? Visit TopYouthSpeakers.com
Dr. Kelsie Storm & Sarah Porter
Dr. Kelsie Storm (she/her) is a pediatric oncologist who treats children with various types of cancer. She lives with her husband and young children in Portland, Oregon. Sarah Porter (she/her) is a social worker who works supporting children and families when a child has been diagnosed with cancer. She also lives in Portland, Oregon, with her spouse and daughters.
Shane Feldman
Shane Feldman (he/him) believes community is the answer to every question and the solution to every problem. Recognized by The White House and United Nations for his achievements in community leadership, Shane is the founder and CEO at COUNT ME IN, the world-renowned social entrepreneurship incubator that originally started as a small school project. Connect at ShaneFeldman.com.
Interested in bringing Shane Feldman to your school or event? Visit TopYouthSpeakers.com
Ross Szabo
Ross Szabo (he/him) is an award-winning pioneer of the youth mental health movement. He is currently the Wellness Director at Geffen Academy at UCLA and CEO of the Human Power Project. He’s using both of these opportunities to change the way communities learn about mental health.
Interested in bringing Ross Szabo to your school or event? Visit TopYouthSpeakers.com
Caverly Morgan
Caverly Morgan (she/her) is the founder of Presence Collective and Peace in Schools, a nonprofit that specializes in teaching mindfulness to teens and teachers alike. She has been practicing mindfulness since 1995 and created the first for-credit mindfulness course in public high schools. As an artist and educator, Caverly brings insight, passion, and humor to her transformative work with students. As a teacher and public speaker, she shares the visions of liberation for all with the world at large.
Adam Stramwasser
Adam Stramwasser (he/him) is the co-founder of Fintelhub, an educational platform focused on bioneurofinance (where money, psychology, and biology meet). He loves baseball, traveling, and philosophical conversations. Adam lives in Miami with his wife, Michelle, and their son, Noah.
Interested in bringing Adam Stramwasser to your school or event? Visit TopYouthSpeakers.com
Paul J. Pastor
Paul J. Pastor (he/him) is a writer, editor, and wilderness lover who lives in the woods near Portland, Oregon, with his wife and 3 kids. His award-winning writing on Christian spirituality is widely recognized for its beauty and insight. He loves good questions (especially ones about God), big stories, and the holy wonder of living.
Meir Kay
Meir Kay (he/him) is all about spreading his message of positivity and kindness, whether that’s through his viral social media videos, hosting The Great Day podcast, or public speaking engagements. He loves to travel, act, run marathons, and create films that spread positivity, respect, and human connection.
Carlos Moreno
Carlos Moreno (he/him) grew up in Silicon Valley, California. When he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a young website developer, Greenwood welcomed him with open arms. He lives in Tulsa to this day, now with his wife and daughter, working as a graphic designer, writer, and community advocate.
Evelyn Yang
Evelyn Yang (she/her) is a mom to 2 boys and an advocate for families. She is passionate about justice, neurodiversity, and food. Her platform and advocacy work have been an unexpected blessing after her husband ran for president. She still actively works on overcoming her own fears and uses her experiences to help people.
Crystal Woodman Miller
Crystal Woodman Miller is an author, speaker, Columbine shooting survivor, mental health advocate, and warrior of hope who encourages others in the challenges they face. She’s also the creative director of making magical memories for her 3 kids and husband and attempts to love others like she has been loved by God.
Orion Jean
Orion Jean (he/him) is a 10-year-old 5th grader from Texas. He is the founder of the Race to Kindness, a series of events focused on spreading kindness to others. He’s learned a great deal about leadership over the last 2 years and he’s ready to share his experience with the world.
Interested in bringing Orion Jean to your school or event? Visit TopYouthSpeakers.com
Taboo (Jimmy Gomez)
Jimmy Gomez (he/him)—or better known as Taboo Nawasha—is a husband, father, cancer survivor, MC, performer, writer, creator, and Indigenous activist. He also has an amazing day job as one of the founding members of the award-winning music group, the Black Eyed Peas. While Tab loves making music, his goal is to leave a legacy his kids will be proud of.
Dale Mueller
Dale Mueller (they/them) is a lifetime learner, sex educator, and mental healthcare enthusiast based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They integrate their focus on trans advocacy, inclusion, and queer community building in all they do professionally, personally, and in their journey to become a therapist.
Leul Gurske & Nabil Zerizef
Leul Gurske (he/him) was born in Ethiopia and adopted at the age of 2. Now, he’s 14 years old and lives in Oregon with his family. Nabil Zerizef (he/him) and his wife adopted their son Adi at birth, and they also live in Oregon where he works as an elementary school principal. It was there where these 2 families crossed paths and learned and grew together.
Hunter Chinn-Raicht
Hunter Chinn-Raicht is an aerial acrobat, animal shelter volunteer, identifies as non-binary, and completely destroys envelopes when opening them. They hope for the day when all genders are celebrated, and they are a GenderCool Champion.
Learn more about The GenderCool Project.
Ashton Mota & Rebekah Bruesehoff
Ashton Mota is an Afro-Latino high schooler and advocate for change, driven to achieve justice, equity, and equality for all. Rebekah Bruesehoff is a 14-year-old influencer and activist passionate about inclusion and authenticity. They are both GenderCool Champions.
Learn more about The GenderCool Project.
Gia Parr
Gia Parr is a high school senior and high-honors student of color. An influencer and advocate, she is intent on progressing the rights of all communities. Gia helped launch GenderCool and is a GenderCool Champion.
Learn more about The GenderCool Project.
Kyle Steed
Kyle (he/him) is an artist—but what does that mean? He paints things of all shapes and sizes in his studio and on large buildings. He believes creating space to be bored is the best way to inspire new ideas. When not bored, Kyle keeps busy by helping raise his 2 daughters with his wife, Amanda, in Dallas, Texas.
Zanagee Artis & Olivia Greenspan
Zanagee Artis (he/him) is a founder of Zero Hour and an advocate for environmental justice for communities most impacted by the climate crisis. He works to illuminate the intersections between social justice issues and environmental injustice. Olivia Greenspan (she/her) started advocating for environmental issues when she was 15 and loves learning about sustainability. She applies her background in psychology and economics to better understand the challenges inherent in communicating about the climate crisis.
Taryn Schuelke
Taryn Schuelke (she/her), CT, CCLS, is the Grief and Bereavement Specialist on the Pediatric Palliative Care Team at Texas Children’s Hospital. She is certified in thanatology—death, dying, and bereavement—and a certified child life specialist. She thinks caring for children at the end of their life is a great honor and immensely sacred work.
Charnaie Gordon
Charnaie Gordon (she/her) is a Diversity and Inclusion expert, blogger, podcast host, and digital creator. She also serves as a member of the National Advisory Board for Reading is Fundamental for their Race, Equity, and Inclusion (REI) initiative. Find her online at hereweeread.com and @hereweeread on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley is an 8-time Grammy winner, Emmy winner, musician, producer, activist and humanitarian. The eldest son of Bob and Rita Marley, he is a musical pioneer, infusing reggae with funk, blues, rock and other elements through mindful songcraft. Ziggy explores issues from environmental awareness to self-empowerment, social injustice to political inequity, while returning again and again to the transformative power of love.