In 2020, we called Palestinian American activist Linda Sarsour’s memoir, We Are Not Here To Be Bystanders, a “candid and poignant” portrayal of an extraordinary life. This year, the co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March and co-founder of pathbreaking social justice organizations MPower Change and Until Freedom makes our list of the best middle-grade books with We’re In This Together (Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster, Nov. 29), a powerfully honest and tenderly inspiring young readers edition of her earlier book. Sarsour answered our questions by email.

Your original memoir was for adults. What inspired you to write for a younger audience?

I wanted to write for young people so they would feel seen and to inspire them to action. Youth are not just the future. They are our present. Young people must engage in conversations about racism, anti-Muslim sentiment, justice, and solidarity in order to be equipped to react and respond to our complicated world in productive ways.

Also, we can never underestimate the power of representation. Growing up, I wished I had access to contemporary autobiographies of Palestinian-, Arab-, and Muslim American women. Now, knowing that girls everywhere will read my story—one of resilience, pride, and solidarity—makes me proud. I hope it inspires them to step in their full identities.   

When you decided to adapt the book for young readers, what kind of changes did you make?

I focused on using accessible language that young readers can understand. When it was necessary to use words in other languages or to introduce specific concepts, I provided a glossary. I also shared more stories from my childhood that I know will resonate across race, ethnicity, faith and more. I believe when someone sees themselves in a book, they are more likely to read it, enjoy it, and be inspired by its message.

What books inspired you in middle school?

I read The Autobiography of Malcolm X in middle school and I was forever moved. It helped shape my identity as a Muslim American and inspired me to speak truth to power. It also taught me about redemption, faith, and justice. Malcolm X continues to be a north star for me in my journey as an activist and organizer and my quest for racial justice in America. Reading about a Muslim American whose words are quoted all over the world, and who left such an impact, instilled a pride in me that I still carry today.

Who do you hope will discover this book, and why?

I am most excited about young girls of color—and especially young Muslim girls—who will see themselves in my stories: I wrote the book that I wish I had when I was growing up.

However, this book is a love letter to all young people. It is an invitation for them to be their unapologetic selves and to join the fight for justice. We cannot win without them. I hope that diverse young people and their parents all over the country discover my book because I believe that anyone who reads it will be inspired. In a dark and complicated world, we must be each other’s light and reminder of a better world ahead.  

What book dazzled you in 2022?

They Called Me a Lioness: A Palestinian Girl’s Fight for Freedom by Ahed Tamimi and Dena Takruri. It is a memoir written by a Palestinian girl living under military occupation, and it is about her journey as an activist under brutal circumstances. Ahed’s struggles are similar to the struggles of many young people of color around the globe fighting for a just, equitable world where all children live freely in peace and with joy.

Mathangi Subramanian’s latest novel, A People’s History of Heaven, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award and was longlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award.