STUDENT PICKS

We asked students from around the country to tell us which books, movies, music, and art have raised their awareness about social issues and inspired them to become civically engaged (get involved in activism, service, etc.). Below is what we found.

Books:

• Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation, by Jonathan Kozol
• American Holocaust: The Conquest of the New World, by David E. Stannard
• The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison: ("to me it recognizes the importance of differences")
• Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke,
• Living High and Letting Die: Our Illusion of Innocence, by Peter Unger
• Love and Action: Writings on Non-Violent Social Change, by Thich Nhat Hanh
• Miseducation of the Negro, by Carter G. Woodson
• My Land and My People, by The Dalai Lama
• No Matter How Loud I Shout: A Year in the Life of Juvenile Court, by Edward Humes: ("Kind of specific subject matter, but definitely life changing for me")
• Possessing the Secret of Joy, by Alice Walker
• Race Matters, by Cornel West
• There Are No Children Here, by Alex Kotlowitz
• The Raft is Not the Shore, by Thich Nhat Hanh & Daniel Berrigan
• Reveille for Radicals, by Saul Alinsky
• Spartacus, by Howard Fast
• Stupid White Men, by Michael Moore

Movies:

• And the Band Played On
• Berkeley in the Sixties (a retrospective documentary directed by Mark Kitchell in 1992)
• Bowling for Columbine, by Michael Moore
• Dead Man Walking (1995), directed by Tim Robbins: ("A lesson in extraordinary human compassion, pushed me to rethink things...")
• Dead Poet’s Society
• The Ernest Green Story
• Eyes on the Prize PBS Series
• Hoop Dreams
• It's a Wonderful Life
• KunDun
• Lean on Me
• Life is Beautiful
• Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
• Long Time Companion
• Malcolm X
• My Left Foot
• Patch Adams
• Pay It Forward
• Philadelphia
• Power of One
• Roger & Me, by Michael Moore
• Ruby Bridges
• Sankofa
• Schindler's List
• Stand and Deliver

Music:

• India Arie
• Band-Aid, “Do They Know It’s Christmas Time?”
• Mariah Carey, "Can't Take That Away"
• Ani DiFranco (and her own record label, Righteous Babe)
• Bob Dylan, “Blowin' in the Wind” ("--He's written so many great political songs, but this one is so simple and powerful!")
• The Ex
• Fugazi (and the Dischord Record label)
• Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On?”
• Ben Harper
• Lauryn Hill (Unplugged album)
• Indigo Girls
• J. Live
• John Lennon, “Imagine” ("---It encompasses the idea of humanity co-existing peacefully. While utopian, it still places the emphasis on trying to achieve the goal.")
• Minor Threat
• Mr. Lif, “Home of the Brave”
• Pearl Jam
• Sade, “Pearls,” “Slave Song,”
• Jill Scott
• Bruce Springsteen
• U2
• Wu Tang, “Impossible”

Other Art: