This campaign is closed

Young and Disaffected by Valencia Richardson

I am writing about young activists in the American South. This book is publishing in December 2019.

Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed

Young and Disaffected by Valencia Richardson

Young and Disaffected by Valencia Richardson

Young and Disaffected by Valencia Richardson

Young and Disaffected by Valencia Richardson

Young and Disaffected by Valencia Richardson

I am writing about young activists in the American South. This book is publishing in December 2019.

I am writing about young activists in the American South. This book is publishing in December 2019.

I am writing about young activists in the American South. This book is publishing in December 2019.

I am writing about young activists in the American South. This book is publishing in December 2019.

Valencia Richardson
Valencia Richardson
Valencia Richardson
Valencia Richardson
1 Campaign |
Shreveport, United States
$4,526 USD 95 backers
113% of $4,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Overview
I am writing about the young activists who live, breathe, and work in the American South and how their dedication has made and will make our home a better place. I am writing a letter to my fellow Southerners looking for a pathway to progress. The answer: look no further than the young folks already doing the work. My book will publish in December 2019.

Story of My Book

Change and progress in the American South has been driven by the young adults who grew up fighting. Young and Disaffected gives homage to those young folks who stay and do the work, while extracting lessons from the past and present to inform the future of the region.

My name is Valencia Richardson and I am the author of Young and Disaffected. I wrote this book because I love my home for its potential and hate that those who do good work are overshadowed by those who seek to maintain the system of oppression which has stifled this potential.

My hope is that, in reading this book, you will discover that change can be found by investing in the young people currently doing the work. My greatest accomplishment would be to instill in you the same passion and excitement that I have for the South and those who seek to progress it. At the end of the day, I hope you understand the where, why, and how the American South can overcome its failures and elevate its successes.

In this book, you'll learn about the history and current state of young progressives in the South and realize that:
  • There are young people in the South dedicated to its growth who aren't leaving
  • Young people want to be a part of change, some just need to be given the tools to join
  • Young activists come from different walks of life, all common in their feeling of obligation to make change
  • The South has a vibrant culture driven by often unnoticed people who are dedicated to its growth
You will read about people you are familiar with, but you will also hear from some people you are not familiar with. You will read about an undocumented activist who centers his citizenship status in his advocacy to great sacrifice. You will hear about the unexpected inspiration of religion, and a surprisingly successful effort to take down a law which disproportionately harmed the poor. You will also hear from a former aspiring actress who is now on her way to becoming Louisiana’s most prominent voting rights activist all before she was old enough to drink. From all of these people, you will learn about the incredible resilience and dedication — and cynicism — of young Southern activists, and hopefully be as awe-inspired as I was.

You will love this book if you are looking for lessons in unexpected places, are interested in the living memory that is the Southern progressive movement, and are looking for pockets of hope in a dark time.

Young and Disaffected is a non-fiction book that speaks to young people and Southerners, and everyone in between, who are interested in looking at our home from a different perspective.

 

The Book - Young and Disaffected


The book is written in three parts:

Part 1 sets the stage for what’s to come in the upcoming chapters and the reasons why this book is even necessary in the first place.

In Part 2, you will hear from many young folks — researched accounts as well as first person interviews. Their motivations, trauma, successes, and failures will drive the narrative. Occasionally, you will hear from me, too.

Part 3 wraps up what we have learned, and contemplates a future South that considers the human dignity of every Southerner, and implores readers to look to the young folks who are dedicated to make that vision come true.

 

What I Need & What You'll Get


This book will be published with New Degree Press. I set up the pre-order tiers to help cover the costs for publishing my book. Money raised will go towards the following:
 
  • The Editor I will work with to revise and publish my manuscript in December 2019
  • The Cover Design of my Book - the mockups you see currently are a placeholder!
  • The Layout Design for the interior of my book (Physical Copy, Ebook Formats)
  • The Copyediting for My Book - to help polish the grammar and spelling prior to publication
  • The Launch & Promotion Efforts for my book - when I ultimately publish this Winter

When I pre-sell 100 copies of my book, I will publish. When I pre-sell 150 copies of my book, I will also publish an audiobook. When I pre-sell 200 copies of my book, I will publish a hardcover edition.



I am also offering some exclusive rewards for people who pre-order my book now:

You will receive a personally signed copy of my book when I publish

  • A personal, handwritten thank you note for pre-ordering my book
  • Your name will appear in a Special Acknowledgements section of my book (“with Special Thanks to”)
  • Early access to the Introduction of my book and my entire manuscript, with the opportunity to review it and give me early feedback
  • The opportunity to help give me feedback and be involved in selecting my cover
  • I will do a book topic/workshop seminar where I will share experience the experiences of writing my book
  • And more!

About the Author


Valencia Richardson is a rising third-year law student at Georgetown University Law Center and a bred Louisianan. Valencia serves on the board of the Andrew Goodman Foundation, and also a Puffin Democracy Fellow for the AGF, where she undertakes youth voting rights activism in the South. She was a Fulbright grantee to Mexico, where she worked at an education and civic engagement nonprofit focused on young children. She is a graduate of the Manship School of Manship Communication and the Honors College at Louisiana State University. 

Valencia’s own dedication to the progressive movement in the South inspired her to write this book. While splitting her time between Louisiana and D.C., Valencia hangs on to her Southern identity with all her might while also advocating for change in the region. This includes starting an initiative that monitors youth voting rights legislation in the region, Southern Students Vote, and founding Geaux Vote LSU, Louisiana’s first student organization dedicated to civic engagement. In D.C., she spends her free time organizing protests and voter registration drives, and trying to find less stressful hobbies. She credits her own semi-selfish motives to understand the South as her primary inspiration for writing this book.

For more information you can connect with Valencia at valencia0314@gmail.com and Twitter @valthebeast.

Risks & Challenges

The biggest challenge with publishing a book is delivering the finished book to the backer, specifically my mailing of the book to you. I have eliminated this risk by building into the campaign the mailing and shipping costs of your signed copies to you within each pre-order tier.

The risk of delivering the pre-sale copies of my book is contingent on the publisher we use. I will be working closely with New Degree Press to make sure we get the earliest possible ship date of the signed book copy to you. We will keep all pre-sale backers up-to-date as my book hits each key milestone and publishes. You will know when the copies of my book you pre-ordered are expected to ship.

Other Ways You Can Help

Some people just can't contribute, but that doesn't mean they can't help:

Please share my pre-sale Campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn with your friends, family and network. Please use #youngsouth and tag me as well as my publisher, New Degree Press so we can help amplify your efforts.

You can easily share my Pre-Sale Campaign Page via Indiegogo at the top of the page

Please share my book with 5 friends, family members, or co-workers who you think would enjoy it. Please do this as a text message or Direct Message on social media.

Thank you so much of all of your love and support!

In solidarity,
Valencia

Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
Need more information
Let us know if you think this campaign contains prohibited content.

Choose your Perk

Pre-order My Ebook

$15 USD
You will Receive a Digital Ebook Copy of my Book (When I Publish). You will get Early Access to the Introduction of my Book (2 Weeks Before I Publish). Your Name will appear in the Acknowledgements Section of my Book.
Included Items
  • Ebook Edition
  • Read My Introduction Early
  • Acknowledgements Recognition
Estimated Shipping
December 2019
18 claimed
Pre-order My Paperback

Pre-order My Paperback

$39 USD
You will Receive a Signed Paperback Copy of my Book. You will help me Select the Cover for my Book. + All Previous Tiers.
Included Items
  • Signed Paperback Edition
  • All Previous Tiers
  • Help Me Select My Cover
Estimated Shipping
December 2019
67 out of 250 of claimed
Ships worldwide.
Two Copies + Personal Note

Two Copies + Personal Note

$100 USD
You will receive 2 signed copies of my book (made out the recipients of your choosing). I will send you a Personal Thank You along with the copies of my Book. + All Previous Tiers.
Included Items
  • Signed Paperback Edition (2)
  • All Previous Tiers
  • Personal Thank You Note
Estimated Shipping
December 2019
5 claimed
Ships worldwide.
Five Copies + Acknowledgement

Five Copies + Acknowledgement

$200 USD
You will receive 5 signed copies of my book (made out the recipients of your choosing). Your Name will appear with Special Recognition in the Acknowledgement Section of my Book. + All Previous Tiers.
Included Items
  • Signed Paperback Edition (5)
  • All Previous Tiers
  • Acknowledgements Recognition
Estimated Shipping
December 2019
0 out of 40 of claimed
Ships worldwide.
Ten Copies + Book Talk

Ten Copies + Book Talk

$500 USD
You will receive 10 signed copies of my book (made out the recipients of your choosing). I will give a "Book Talk" to you and a selected group of guests, where I will share my experiences Creating my Book, and more. Your Name will appear with Special Recognition in the Acknowledgement Section of my Book. + All Previous Tiers.
Included Items
  • Signed Paperback Edition (10)
  • All Previous Tiers
  • Acknowledgements Recognition
  • Author Book Talk
Estimated Shipping
December 2019
0 out of 20 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

Superfan

$1,000 USD
You will receive 25 signed copies of my book (made out the recipients of your choosing). Your Name will appear with Extra Special Recognition in the Acknowledgement Section of my Book. + All Previous Tiers.
Included Items
  • Signed Paperback Edition (25)
  • All Previous Tiers
  • Acknowledgements Recognition
  • Author Book Talk
Estimated Shipping
December 2019
1 out of 10 of claimed
Ships worldwide.
Up Caret