Activism Book Review — We Are Power: How Nonviolent Activism Changes The World

By Avery Smedley

In We Are Power, Todd Hasak-Lowy investigates how non-violent movements throughout the world have changed the status-quo and delivered the people’s will.

We Are Power is incredibly inspirational, educational and timely. Being in the midst of all these social change movements as a student activist, it feels as though we’re on the cusp of a great social revolution. Hasak-Lowy grasps this and takes advantage of the timeliness to educate and inspire the leaders of tomorrow: the children.

I know first hand how difficult breaking the status quo and bringing about social change can be, but this book is an inspiration and reminder to keep pushing. At the start of social change movements, it’s easy to feel disillusioned and pessimistic about the power of nonviolent activism. But We Are Power quells any apprehensions without a doubt.

For democracy to truly function as intended, information like this should be available to every citizen so they can exercise their power to the fullest extent. That starts at a young age with books like this.

Avery Smedley is a high school junior and the lead organizer for Students Toward Equitable Public Schools (STEPS), a student-led organization based in Montgomery County, Md. that is fighting against de facto segregation in their school system.