I, Witness

Adama Bah grew up in East Harlem after immigrating from Conakry, Guinea, and was deeply connected to her community and the people who lived there. But as a thirteen-year-old after the events of September 11, 2001, she began experiencing discrimination and dehumanization as prejudice toward Muslim people grew. Then, on March 24, 2005, FBI agents arrested her and her father. Falsely accused of being a potential suicide bomber, she spent weeks in a detention center being questioned under suspicion of terrorism. With sharp and engaging writing, she recounts the events surrounding her arrest and its impact on her life - the harassment, humiliation, and persecution she faced for crimes she didn't commit. Part of a series of compelling narrative nonfiction by young people for young people, Accused brings forward a crucial and unparalleled first-person perspective of American culture post-9/11 and the country's discrimination against Muslim Americans.

Suffering heavy damage in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Puerto Rican communities lacked access to clean water and electricity. Salvador Gómez-Colón couldn't ignore the basic needs of his homeland and knew that nongovernmental organizations and larger foreign philanthropies could only do so much. With unstoppable energy and a deep knowledge of local culture, he founded Light and Hope for Puerto Rico and raised more than $100,000 to purchase and distribute solar-powered lamps and hand-powered washing machines to households in need. With a voice that is both accessible and engaging, he recalls living through the catastrophic storm and grappling with the destruction it left behind. Part of a series of compelling narrative nonfiction by young people for young people, Hurricane brings forward a captivating first-person account of strength, resilience, and determination.

As a girl and as part of an ethnic minority in Afghanistan, Freshta Tori Jan was persecuted relentlessly. Her family faced kidnappings and daily murder attempts on the bus, on the way to school, in the workplace, and beyond. Freshta's school was shut down by the Taliban, and many of her friends were murdered and shot. Her journey through poverty, terrorism, and other forms of injustice has enabled her to be a voice for those unable to share their stories and those unable to receive the opportunities she has sought. She believes in empowering youth in order to bring about change and to be the leaders of today and tomorrow. With a voice that is both accessible and engaging, Freshta brings forward a captivating first-person account of strength, resilience, and determination, delivering compelling narrative nonfiction by young people, for young people.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Haitian immigrants, Frantzy Luzincourt has dedicated his life to service and the empowerment of youth voices. When he was fifteen, he became the founding president of his high school's Black Student Union, where he advocated for more Black male teachers and for bringing social justice into the school curriculum. He now fights to ensure that all students, no matter their background, have access to equitable schools where young voices are championed. After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Frantzy and his friends formed the Strategy for Black Lives coalition, which centers youth voices and mobilizes communities to fight against racism, discrimination, and inequity. His passion for education and criminal justice reform is integral to his identity as a young Black man. With a voice that is both accessible and engaging, Frantzy brings forward a captivating first-person account of determination, activism, and empowerment in America. The “I, Witness” series delivers compelling narrative nonfiction by young people for young people.

Improbable as it seemed, I realized I wanted to try. I wanted it all, and I was ready to work as hard as necessary to grow into a respected, professional musician. Ever since Precious Perez was a child, she has loved music. Her family always praised her singing, saying she could even attend Berklee College of Music one day-planting a seed that would become her dream. Precious was born two and a half months prematurely and weighed just one pound. Her eyes did not fully develop, and she is blind. Growing up, most people focused on what Precious could not do because of her disability. When her high school music teacher advocated for her talent, Precious realized all the things she could do with her disability-starting with attending Berklee and becoming a professional musician. With an engaging, accessible voice, Precious delivers an empowering first-person account of her determination to achieve her dreams, even with the world stacking the odds against her. In Vision, a young writer opens a window for young readers into activism and finding strength and purpose in disability.