First published 2020
Cecile Richards opens her story in seventh grade, sitting in the principal's office after wearing a Vietnam War protest armband to school. This moment of defiance launched a lifetime of activism. Richards grew up in conservative Texas with parents who taught her to challenge authority. Her father worked as a civil rights attorney while her mother became Texas's first female governor. Richards watched women gain power in American politics from an early age. She learned that creating change requires causing disruption. The memoir follows her path from childhood rebel to president of Planned Parenthood. Richards faced criticism and opposition throughout her career but never stopped fighting for her beliefs. She made mistakes and took risks that sometimes backfired. The book shows young readers how one person can make a difference by refusing to stay quiet. Richards proves that troublemaking, when done for the right reasons, becomes leadership.
Genres: autobiography, biography-memoir, activism, american-history
Vibes: inspirational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, defiance, social-change
Setting: Texas
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
256 pages · Paperback · Margaret K. McElderry Books