Stories of powerhouse women who pushed for justice in politics, medicine, art, music, religion, tribal leadership, and more.
In fighting to pass the 19th Amendment, brave suffragists like Susan B. Anthony and Emmeline B. Wells fought to end laws and take down barriers that prevented them from voting. Champions of Change introduces young readers not only to Anthony and Wells, but also to a diverse group of firsts and freedom-fighters in America’s fight for equality, such as:
- Zitkala-Sa, co-founder of the National Council of American Indians
- Martha Hughes Cannon, America’s first female state senator
- Hannah Kaaepa, an advocate for Hawaiian women’s rights
- Barbara Toomer, who was jailed 35 times for protests that led to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act
- and the women of the Kanab Town Council, one of the first all-female city councils in the country.
This timely collection of mini biographies highlights 25 champions for justice, includes colorful portraitures of each, and presents actual photos of the individuals.
Naomi Watkins is an educational leader, breathwork coach, yoga instructor, and co-host of This is Her Place, a podcast about Utah women past and present. She lives and hikes in the mountains of Salt Lake City.
Katherine Kitterman is the Executive Director of Better Days, a local nonprofit that shares stories of women who shaped Utah's history. She has a PhD in US History from American University and has worked to bring history to life at the Smithsonian Institution, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Woodrow Wilson House.
Brooke Smart is an illustrator living and working in South Jordan, Utah. She specializes in children’s illustration with an emphasis on picture book biographies about women from our past. Brooke has a BFA in Illustration from Brigham Young University, where she occasionally teaches as well. She lives with her husband, Jeremy, and their three kids.