The Kids Are Alright: The Young People fighting for a better tomorrow [Radical Book Fair]

Young people disillusioned by crumbling democracies, poverty, criminalisation, extractivism and ecological collapse are carving out new kinds of politics, new ways of organising, and bringing us a renewed hunger for a better tomorrow.

Without the creativity, energy, skills and clarity of young activists movements will atrophy. What can we learn from youth movements and young leaders? What does it mean to mobilise across generations? How do we enable solidarity, collaboration, resources, care, and access across generations?

Look to the Climate movement’s Land Defenders, to Vanessa Nakate, Greta Thunberg and Mikaela Loach, Sudan’s Alaa Salah and the youth collectives organising for queer rights in Schools and Palestinian liberation on University campuses.

Young people have been integral to justice movements the world over and throughout history - and for all the youth of today are denigrated, the legacies of forebears like Sophie Scholl and the White Roses, Barbara Johns and the civil movement are alive and kicking in a new generation - it's time to hear from them.

To dive into all this we welcome climate justice activist and author Mikaela Loach, and campaigners from Trans Kids Deserve Better Scotland among others.

Our Speakers:

Mikaela Loach is an acclaimed author, climate justice organiser, and speaker, recognised as one of the most influential women in the climate movement by Forbes, The Guardian, and BBC Woman’s Hour. Prospect magazine chose her as one of the “World's Top Thinkers” in 2024. Mikaela’s work is deeply rooted in community organising. Her activism includes organising with grassroots climate movements such as Stop Cambo, Fossil Free Books, Resist Glencore and The UK Black Eco Feminist Collective, conducting workshops at international climate justice camps and at local schools. She is the co-Director of the AWETHU School of Organising and a Safina Center Junior Fellow for 2025.

Trans Kids Deserve Better Scotland are a direct action network run by trans+ youth, for trans+ youth. All activists are 18 or under. Their campaigning is rooted in an empowerment that comes from trans youth taking back their lives, demanding better and defending themselves.