José Speaks OutJosé Speaks Out

José Mujica is a former revolutionary, past president of Uruguay and climate activist. José's speech to the UN is part of the “Speak Out” series. José Mujica is a former revolutionary, past president of Uruguay and climate activist. José's speech to the UN is famous for criticizing the contemporary economy, the inequalities of the world and the consumerism that drives our daily lives and pushes us to buy more and more. José condemns our wasteful way of life, explaining that if we all lived like the average American we would need three earths. Today, he says, it is time to consider the planet as a home where we are all equal. Only through governing ourselves as a species will we be able to make way for a world that focuses on what is truly important: our relationships with each other, and how we relate to the world we live in. José's famous speech, translated for middle-grade readers, is strikingly illustrated by acclaimed illustrator Guridi and followed by an analysis written by Dolors Camats, showing young readers the greater context of who José is, the audience he was addressing and what made this speech so powerful. The “Speak Out” series publishes the most inspiring speeches of our times, then deconstructs them to give young readers a deeper understanding of global issues and the power of language to influence them.