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Nakita Simpson

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.

Courn Ahn

Courn Ahn

Courn "Courtney" Ahn (she/they) is a queer Korean American illustrator and designer known for their playful artwork that depicts social justice, antiracism, and all things activism!

Rebecca Alexander

Rebecca Alexander

Rebecca Alexander (she/her) is founder and CEO of AllGo, a community review platform where plus-size people rate the comfort and accessibility of public places so others can know what it’s like before going out.

Jelani Memory

Jelani Memory

Jelani Memory (he/him) is a constantly curious writer, entrepreneur, and storyteller. He lives in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, with his wife and 6 kids.

Georgina Gooley

Georgina Gooley

Georgina Gooley (she/her) is the co-founder of Billie, a razor company that celebrates body hair and champions womankind. She dedicates this book to her daughters, so they can grow up loving their bodies, hair and all.

 

Elizabeth Tom

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

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

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

Duke Stebbins

Duke Stebbins

Duke Stebbins (he/him) is an Oregonian designer whose sharing skills have been prudently honed by his twin brother and 4 older siblings. He would like to thank his mom for helping him with this book, among many other things.

Emma Mcilroy

Emma Mcilroy

Emma Mcilroy (she/her) is the co-founder and CEO of Wildfang. Wildfang is one of the fastest growing retail brands in the USA and exists to help every kind of woman become the best possible version of herself, smashing gender roles and the patriarchy in the process.

Rick DeLucco

Rick DeLucco

Rick DeLucco (he/him) is a graphic designer and illustrator dedicated to creating only the funnest and happiest of things. When he’s not creating, he’s spending time with his wife and 2 children.

Stephen Green & Edmund Holmes

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

Angela N. Frazier

Angela N. Frazier (she/her), MPH, is a speaker and mental health influencer. She received her bachelor of science in health sciences and communication from Portland State University and holds a master in public health from UTHealth School of Public Health. In 2017, Angela founded an organization, Sisters in Public Health, to connect to women in public health.
Soraya Sutherlin

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.

Dani Balenson

Dani Balenson

Dani Balenson (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based designer, drawer, and doer who gets excited about ideas of all sizes. She’s constantly reminding herself that the first step to making anything come to life is to just start.

Alicja Colon

Alicja Colon

Graphic Designer. Photographer. Entrepreneur. Paper Illustrator. Inventor. Artist. Speaker. Mom. Wife. Those are all the titles Alicja Colon (she/her) has and one thing made them all possible: GRIT! She would also like to give a big thanks to Ben Lew for helping her concept the images.

Kileah McIlvain

Kileah McIlvain

Kileah (she/her) is a writer, musician, knitter, and lover of all things Middle Earth. She and her husband raise hobbits and chickens in the verdant wilds of Washington State. 

Billie Jean King

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.

Sara & Stewart Scott-Curran

Sara & Stewart Scott-Curran

Sara (she/her) and Stewart (he/him) Scott-Curran are a wife and husband super team with the coolest secret weapon: their daughter Skyler! They all live together in Portland, Oregon, with their dog Marvis and live out their creativity every day.
Kendall Clawson

Kendall Clawson

Kendall Clawson (she/her) lives in the Pacific Northwest and was the first executive director of Q Center, Oregon’s LGBTQIA+ community center. She currently works in philanthropy and believes community change often comes from unexpected leaders.

TEDxPortland

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

LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton (he/him) is an actor, director, and educator best known for his iconic roles as Kunta Kinte in ROOTS, Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: Next Generation, and as the host of Reading Rainbow. With millions of fans throughout the world, Burton continues his mission to inspire, entertain, and educate.
Ara Katz

Ara Katz

Ara Katz wants you to meet the trillions of microbes that live in and on your bodyyour microbiome! She co-founded Seed to pioneer the application of microbes for human and planetary health. Alongside extraordinary scientists, they develop probiotics for living organisms everywhere! She loves inspiring humans to learn about the incredible, invisible world of the microbiome. 
NCAC

NCAC

The National Coalition Against Censorship is an alliance of more than 50 national nonprofits. NCAC has been fighting for kids’ right to read for a long, long time. We believe that kids deserve to speak, learn, and create freely.

Ashwin Chacko

Ashwin Chacko

Ashwin Chacko (he/him) is an illustrator and motivational speaker that specializes in positively playful, visual storytelling. His mission is to champion creativity and empower people to find their inner spark.

Lalo

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

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

Fabian Ramirez

Fabian Ramirez is an anti-bullying speaker for schools and conferences. He's given his anti-bullying presentation in over 40 states. He currently lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and 2 children. To learn more, visit FabianRamirez.com
Sarah Jones

Sarah Jones

Sarah Jones (she/her) is an Emmy award-winning on-air reporter, producer, videographer, and editor with a passion for attracting young audiences to hard news.

Jason Mayden

Jason Mayden

Jason Mayden (he/him) is a designer, educator, and entrepreneur dedicated to the advancement of diverse creative youth. When he’s not designing, he enjoys spending time with his wife, two children, and their rambunctious French bulldog.
David S. Anderson & Blake Fleischacker

David S. Anderson & Blake Fleischacker

Since 2011, Dave (he/him) and Blake have spoken to hundreds of thousands of kids in schools across North America. They share messages of inclusion, empathy, and kindness—especially online. Dave and Blake bring music, humor, and playfulness to all they create and always want kids to remember this: the things that make you weird are the things that make you awesome.
The Dodo

The Dodo

The Dodo is the world’s #1 animal brand. They create fun, irresistible stories and products that help people feel connected to animals and learn to be the best pet parents they can be. Their heartwarming content brings animal-loving kids and families (pets included!) closer together to feel all the feels. For animal stories to watch as a family, visit thedodo.com.
Ethan Thrower

Ethan Thrower

Ethan Thrower (he/him) is an alternative school social worker committed to social justice and restorative practices. He uses his story of incarceration as a tool to discuss decision-making, resilience, and change with youth in his community. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and 2 kids, who are the light of his life.
Denise Morales Soto & Andrea Campos

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

Tanya Iovino & Kiki Kouris

Tanya Iovino (she/her) and Kiki Kouris (she/her) are passionate advocates for Alzheimer’s awareness and work to support those impacted by the disease. They honor the memory of their yiayia (grandmother) who passed away from Alzheimer’s in 2011. They hope this book brings you comfort.
Joy Cho

Joy Cho

Joy Cho (she/her) is an Asian American designer and creative director. She is also a second-degree black belt, an avid tennis player, and loves to dress in lots of bright colors. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and 2 daughters.

Brennan C. Wood

Brennan C. Wood

Brennan C. Wood (she/her) is the award-winning executive director of Dougy Center: The National Grief Center for Children & Families. Dougy Center provides support and resources for children and families who are grieving. Brennan loves spending time with her awesome blended family and honors her mother’s legacy by making every day a celebration!
Suzy Ultman

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

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 Kenyon

Ben Kenyon

Ben Kenyon (he/him) is a podcaster, influencer, founder/CEO of Great Day Squad, and Portland Trail Blazers performance coach. He lives in Portland, Oregon, and tries to live generously and with gratitude every day.

Ben Sand

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.

Jordan Thierry

Jordan Thierry

Jordan Thierry (he/him) is a documentary filmmaker, activist, and storyteller. He has worked for over a decade to highlight the stories of people of color and to undo the ongoing legacy of systemic racism in the USA.

Jamie Letourneau

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.

Kevin Carroll

Kevin Carroll

Kevin (he/him) is an author and creative catalyst who brings a playful curiosity, an avid intellect, a keen understanding of human nature, and a lifelong love of competition to all of his creative endeavors. He sees humanistic potential and possibilities everywhere. 

Dr. Laymon Hicks

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 & 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

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

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

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.

www.caverlymorgan.org

Adam Stramwasser

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

Ben Tertin

Ben Tertin

Ben (he/him) is a pastor and teacher in Portland, Oregon, living out the adventure of a life with his wife and 2 (tree-climbing) kids.

Paul J. Pastor

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.

Jelani Memory

Jelani Memory

Jelani Memory (he/him) is an African American entrepreneur, thinker, and constant learner. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and 6 kids. He still wants to be an artist when he grows up.

Meir Kay

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

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.

Amber Case

Amber Case

Amber Case has always been fascinated by the relationship between technology and humans. As a child, she played outside, but she also built computers. Now she gives speeches about technology, writes books, and travels the world.

Evelyn Yang

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.

Brandon Farbstein

Brandon Farbstein

Brandon Farbstein (he/him) is a Gen Z world changer, motivational speaker, and author who was born with a rare form of dwarfism. Brandon’s “Ten Feet Tall” mindset and limitless impact has been felt by millions as he amplifies his global message to #ElevateEmpathy®.
Crystal Woodman Miller

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

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

MJ Calderon

MJ Calderon

MJ (he/him) is a Mexican-born and Oregon-raised dreamer. He loves all art of any kind, but his truest passion lies with writing and music.
Taboo (Jimmy Gomez)

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

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.

Daron K. Roberts

Daron K. Roberts

Daron K. Roberts (he/him) is a recovering NFL Coach, practicing leadership professor, and hopeful triathlete. He averages 100 keynote speeches a year. Daron and his wife corral 5 children every Saturday during their weekly "Donut Council" outings.

Megan Bartlett

Megan Bartlett

Megan Bartlett (she/her) is the founder of the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sports. You can usually find her at a gym talking to coaches about the magic of relationships and physical activity to help us heal, or chasing after her little one, Jack.

Nicole Lendo

Nicole Lendo

Nicole Lendo is a special education teacher in Portland, Oregon. Sharing her experience loving, living with, and teaching the children of addicts helps people learn to love themselves and others, even in the presence of addiction.

Leul Gurske & Nabil Zerizef

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.

Kim Pham

Kim Pham

Kim Pham (she/her) is the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants who fled the war for a better life. She is a wife and mother of 1 Asian American kid and 1 upcoming baby. Together, they live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Hunter Chinn-Raicht

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 & 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

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 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 & 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.

Kristine Napper

Kristine Napper

Kristine Napper (she/her) teaches middle school just outside Portland, Oregon. She’s a lifelong wheelchair user and social justice seeker. She finds joy in good books, long conversations, bright colors, and tacos.

Taryn Schuelke

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.

Malia Jones

Malia Jones

Malia Jones is an academic, researcher, social justice advocate, partner, and mom. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin, and works in a university setting as a social epidemiologist, studying how infectious diseases spread in human populations.

Charnaie Gordon

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.

Ashley Simpo

Ashley Simpo

Ashley Simpo (she/her) is a writer, mother, and wellness advocate, writing about motherhood and civic issues through the lens of race, culture, and politics. She lives in New York City where she co-parents her son, Orion, and leads conversations about mothers and children.

Ziggy Marley

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.