Make it Happen: You Can Be An Activist

by Amika George

Overview

‘Make It Happen reminds us that people of any age can create change in their communities. From finding allies to setting goals, everyone who wants to contribute to a better future can learn from Amika's book.’ Malala Yousafzai

Now, more than ever, we know that the world needs to change.

And you can be the one to make it happen.

As a teenager, Amika George successfully launched a campaign that pushed the UK government to fund free period products in every school across England.

Featuring interviews with world-renowned activists, Make It Happen is her essential and inspirational guide to being an effective activist. From finding your crowd and creating allies to getting those in positions of power to listen, using social media to build a community and protecting your mental health while campaigning, Amika shows you how to create real and lasting change in your world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780008434366
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	02/08/2022
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Amika George is a 20-year-old student at Cambridge University, who, at the age of 17, started the Free Periods campaign from her bedroom to end period poverty in the UK. After reading about children missing school, as they were unable to afford menstrual products, Amika started an online movement, organised a protest in London, attended by over 2,000 young people, and launched a legal campaign. In 2019, Her campaign successfully persuaded the UK government to provide free menstrual products in all English schools and colleges from January 2020.

She has received global recognition for her campaigning work, including receiving a Goalkeepers Campaign award by Bill & Melinda Gates, in conjunction with the United Nations, and was listed by TIME magazine as one of the 25 most influential teenagers in the world. She continues to campaign to ensure that every child worldwide has access to education, uninhibited by their period, and works to eradicate the taboo around periods.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Choose Your Cause 11

Starting small 17

Find your power 22

Create your campaign 24

The Global Goals 32

Know your stuff 38

Who holds the power? 47

Tackling a taboo 48

The solution 56

Listen 64

Channel your anger 68

2 Find Your Crowd 75

Making allies 75

Raise an internet army 85

The bigger picture 87

Anti-racism and the importance of inclusion 88

3 Spread the Word 99

Branding 99

Rallying support 103

Getting heard 116

Social media 142

Public speaking 154

Interviews 163

4 Marching Matters 173

The date 177

Red tape 179

Help on the day 180

Speakers 181

Signs and banners 182

Music 183

Raising awareness 184

Social media 187

Post-protest plan 189

5 Prioritise You 193

Slow right down 193

Celebrate the small wins 195

Be good to yourself 196

Unfollow 199

Think about what you say 201

Setting boundaries 201

Dealing with the bullies 205

Keep campaigning positive 210

Endnote 213

Timeline 217

Further Reading 221

Acknowledgements 223

Editorial Reviews

'Amika is one of my favourite people on earth – she embodies why the world is so excited for Generation Z! Make it Happen is an inclusive, powerful, political, intelligent and brilliant book about how one person can truly make a difference in this world. If you feel remotely fed up with the status quo – you need this book in your life!’ Scarlett Curtis

‘Campaigning is an incredible force for good – it has the power to improve people’s lives. So, if you’re a young person who has an idea and wants to change the world – read this book and help make it happen.’ Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

‘Inspiring and practical: an indispensable handbook for changing the world.’ Caroline Criado Perez

‘A personal, powerful, passionate, pragmatic, punchy book from one of Britain’s most exciting Gen Z activists. A great guide to moving and shaking with joy, spirit and real world results.’ Deborah Frances-White from The Guilty Feminist

‘Amika is a credit to her generation and makes me feel so much better about the future. Her tireless campaigning to make period poverty a thing of the past in the UK has helped millions of girls. The social and economic benefits of this will be seen for many years to come. I'm delighted to see that she has put her passion into words.’ June Sarpong

‘Amika is an inspiration to us all and a personal hero of mine.’ Josie Naughton, co-founder of Help Refugees

‘An inspirational London teenager.’ Evening Standard

‘Kickass founder of the #FreePeriods campaign and absolute kween’ Glamour

‘Schoolgirl by day, activist by night: we crown Amika George our next Girl on a Mission.’ Vogue

‘George is single-handedly fighting for teenage girls to be given the right to free sanitary products.Instead of simply firing off an angry Tweet, [Amika] decided to do something about period poverty. Like, actually do something about it.’ Elle

From the Publisher