Generation Queer: Stories of Youth Organizers, Artists, and Educators is educator-historian-artist Kimm Toppings love letter to a hopeful, joyful, peaceful, and productive future that will be created by members of the Millennial, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha generations, including the thirty organizers, artists, and educators profiled in this happy book.When I scanned the thirty names listed in the Table of Contents, grouped in a trinity of categories (Organizers, Artists, and Educators), I confess I didnt recognize a single one. Likely, few of us in the over-50 crowd would. Related Chasten Buttigieg never thought hed be a dad. Now his hit childrens book stars his own family. The sweet story is spreading joy across America and so is its author. This book, after all, is about the now, about what young LGBTQ+ people are doing to reconstruct the world; its about the multitude of moments that fly beneath certain radars; about educating and inspiring younger activists; and about bringing the older ones up to speed on a beautiful generation pushing multiple transformative paradigms in a world far different from the one we grew up in.While old-timer names (mine included) are found aplenty in this book, used for purposes of identifying historical milestones and establishing context, this book is not about them. It is about people under 35, mostly under 30, who have already grabbed cultural, political, and educational batons and are running the race themselves. They are in a hurry. They are brave and bold. They arent taking nonsense the way Baby Boomers and Generation X did. They speak up. They march. They assert their right to an equal portion of humanitys pursuit of happiness. Theres Andraya Yearwood, for example, a Black transgender woman, activist, and athlete, named in 2020 as one of Teen Vogues 21 Under 21. Yearwood envisions a future where everyone can be accepted. There is also Cyan Macias-Gmez, named in 2021 to GLAADs 20 under 20 list. Macias-Gmez wants to be a social worker and a lawyer, run for office, and teach history/ Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Dehkontee Chanchan focuses on housing justice; Gavin Grimm, who hopes to be an English teacher, took a transgender rights case all the way to the Supreme Court; Sherent Mishitashin Harris, a Two-Spirit artist, was named an LGBT History Month Icon in 2019 and graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 2023. Theres Zander Moricz, class president all four years of high school, who was the youngest plaintiff in Floridas Dont Say Gay lawsuit. And there is artist ALOK Vaid-Menon, who is gender and artistically nonconforming. Ella McKenzie is a photographic artist whose book Silenced chronicles LGBTQ+ youth in New York; Reeves Gift is a filmmaker whose prime directive is striving to heal the world through bridge building; and while I didnt recognize the name Blair Imani, I did in fact recognize her brilliant work: her brilliant web series called Smarter in Seconds and thankfully for us she plans to continue working in television and education.A starred review by Publishers Weekly calls the book a compelling and informative compendium of lush history, and a necessary addition to the literary canon for anyone invested in facilitating a radically empowered future.I cant outdo that praise, but Ill add that the illustrations and text, awash in soothing shades of lavender, are gentle on the eye, compelling, and meditative. The words are all that, too, largely in an easy-to-read soft black. I highly recommend this book be the next birthday or holiday gift for the young people in our lives who are striving against headwinds to contain losses, retain gains, and construct a stronger tomorrow. The young people in our lives and the rest of us need the inspiration.The books fourth chapter covers specific activist work led by or involving key youth organizers: Black Lives Matter, Trans Visibility March, Queer Youth Assemble, walkouts, demonstrations, testimonies before school boards and legislative committees. The last two chapters are titled Actions for Youth and Actions for Educators, wrapping up the book (a textbook, really) with practical suggestions for movement activists. As a bonus, a magnificent (and free) 21-page companion educators guide is available here.While this book is grounded in the past, it is wholly about the present and the future. These thirty profiles and the educational material scattered throughout the text will inspire countless others. It is about smart young people, active and alert, doing small and big things to move the conversation forward and protect human rights. I had no idea so much was happening beyond my vision by a cadre of amazing young activists, and author Kimm Topping is right: We should not wait until later to celebrate them.Rodney Wilson founded LGBTQ+ History Month in 1994. He is the subject of Taboo Teaching: A Profile of Missouri Teacher Rodney Wilson, available for free viewing here.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.