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LOVE's Books:
The writings and photographs by LOVE youth are showcased in 2 books, L.O.V.E. Works!, with 52 L.O.V.E. youth contributors. Contact your local bookstore or library to order.
The success of this book is what led to the idea to create another book, and The Courage to Change: A L.O.V.E. Teen Survival Guide, published by the award winning Second Story Press. This book will be released in the fall of 2001.
This book is a gripping, sometimes shocking book for teens, their parents, teachers, and everyone else who cares about youth violence. It includes cautionary true life stories, vivid photojournalism and powerful advice from youth who have been there, on how to deal with such tough issues as isolation, bullying, abuse, family and school pressure, self-esteem, loneliness, gangs, relationships, drugs, rage, etc. It also contains interactive writing assignments, input from the "pros" on today's youth issues, as well as youth-written stories and photos. It is like a road map for teens, to help them handle the stresses of life that can lead to violence against themselves and others.
The goals of The Courage to Change: A L.O.V.E. Teen Survival Guide are:
- To celebrate the courage it takes to change your life for the better
- To honor brave youth who are struggling with trauma/ rage/ hurt/ violence.
- To document the complexities of youth culture today.
- To validate the timeless qualities of courage and strength.
- To show that youth do have the courage to break the cycle of violence.
- To inspire young people to see that we all have courage, that change does happen and that there is a better way - a way of helping others, of trust, of hope and of love.
The following are a list of chapters that will be addressed in the book:
- Self-Image
Chapter One offers a provocative look at what teenagers wee in the mirror and the deadly ways in which some try to shatter that reflection. This chapter inspires teens to embrace their uniqueness and to see a more accurate reflection of themselves.
- School Days
Tales of fear in high-school corridors run throughout this chapter, which looks at why schools no longer feel like safe havens. Teens offer insights into how the ever-increasing stress of going to school can be eased.
- Bullying
Whether victim or victimizer, bullies and their targets endure pain, as seen in Andrew's story, an eye-opening account of how one teen turned into a bully as a coping mechanism for everything else that was going on in his life. He also shares how he came to recognize that violence was not the solution to his problems.
- Dealing with Rage
Find out how to spin positive results from all that rage.
- Healing the Heart: Finding Love in Relationships
Friends, boyfriends and girlfriends can sometimes disappoint. This chapter offers reflections on how the blinding effect of love can lead teenagers down some dangerous roads into hurtful situations, and how such routes can be avoided.
- Feeling Judged
How judgements and perceptions can lead to acts of violence such as racism and self-hate. This chapter inspires teens to look beyond the judgements of others and into their own hearts for acceptance.
- There's no Place Like Home: To Make Change Happen
Confronting the often painful relationship between teenagers and families can be tough. This chapter looks at ways to bring peace home.
- A Whirlwind: Handling Confusion
Feelings of loneliness and depression can result from confusion. You're not alone.
- Hanging Out
Why to teens sometimes engage in petty crime or go around stirring up trouble? Often, it is because they are bored and have nowhere to be. This chapter takes us down a compelling journey into the lives of teenagers and shows how they cope with their feelings of displacement and the desire to quell the itch of boredom at whatever cost.
- High On Life
Kids who've done it all look back and reflect on how it's about becoming "high on life" rather than high on drugs.
- The Culture of Violence
Let's look into the music, movies and other cultural influences that surround and sometimes inspire acts of violence. This chapter will examine the attraction and allure of the media, and how to analyze what young people are internalizing.
- Gangs
Read the riveting story of Jeremy, a young man whose unsettled past led him to the comfort offered by the familial bonds formed in gangs. After living a life of crime, and paying the consequences in a jail cell, he has severed all ties with his old gang. Staying on the straight and narrow, however, is a day-to-day struggle, especially when unsure if the past might catch. Jeremy offers cautionary insights to other youth.
- Breaking the Cycle: Bruises Can Heal
This chapter considers the effects of domestic violence on children and how teenagers can make the conscious choice to end the cycle of violence into which they were born.
- Why Me?: Setting Yourself Free from the Abuse
An honest account of the destructive effects of sexual abuse opens doors on how to overcome the pain of being a victim.
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