1 rating | 2 reviews | avg rating:5.00

William's Bookshelves

read (2)
currently-reading (0)
to-read (0)

William's Friends (40)

Erik

78 books | 23 friends

Donnell

5 books | 149 friends

Lisa

72 books | 38 friends

Ali

0 books | 24 friends

Bryan

33 books | 80 friends

Raquel Cepeda

56 books | 95 friends

Warren

0 books | 29 friends

David Jacobs

129 books | 123 friends

More friends…

William Upski Wimsatt

Goodreads author profile

born

January 01, 1976 in Chicago, IL, The United States

gender

male

genre

Politics

member since

September 2010

About this author

edit data

William Wimsatt, also known as Billy or Upski, is a social entrepreneur, author, political activist, and former graffiti artist. Wimsatt is founder of the League of Young Voters, co-founder of Generational Alliance and the author or editor of six books.

Wimsatt was born in Chicago, attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, received his High School diploma from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, and dropped out of Oberlin College. His father is a philosophy of science professor at the University of Chicago (William C. Wimsatt). Wimsatt uses "Upski" as his middle name, but it is really the tag he used to write graffiti while growing up in Chicago.

Wimsatt's first book was Bomb The Suburbs (1994), a collection of essays celebratin...more William Wimsatt, also known as Billy or Upski, is a social entrepreneur, author, political activist, and former graffiti artist. Wimsatt is founder of the League of Young Voters, co-founder of Generational Alliance and the author or editor of six books.

Wimsatt was born in Chicago, attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, received his High School diploma from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, and dropped out of Oberlin College. His father is a philosophy of science professor at the University of Chicago (William C. Wimsatt). Wimsatt uses "Upski" as his middle name, but it is really the tag he used to write graffiti while growing up in Chicago.

Wimsatt's first book was Bomb The Suburbs (1994), a collection of essays celebrating urban life and critiquing the suburban mindset. The essay "We Use Words Like Mackadocious", previously printed in The Source (May 1993), celebrated and critiqued the wigger subculture. Wimsatt released No More Prisons (1999), referencing urbanism and the prison-industrial complex, in conjunction with an underground hip-hop album on Raptivism Records. Along with editing the books Another World is Possible (2001) and Future 500: Youth Organizing and Activism in the United States (2003), Wimsatt co-edited How To Get Stupid White Men Out Of Office (2004), a collection of stories from youth organizers around the world who won or swung elections. His latest book is Please Don't Bomb The Suburbs.

Wimsatt founded the League of Young Voters (2003) and co-founded the Generational Alliance (2005). As a philanthropic consultant, he coined the term "Cool Rich Kids" (1999) to refer to young progressive philanthropists associated with the organization Resource Generation. He has consulted for dozens of organizations including Rock The Vote, MoveOn.org, and Green For All. He is currently a Fellow at the Movement Strategy Center directing The Field 3.0 Project, a dialogue and documentation effort to drive innovation in field organizing. He also runs Vote Again 2010, to mobilize young voters in swing states.(less)

79 posts
William Upski Wimsatt's Blog

Billy Parish's new book: Making Good = Good Sh*t

Reading Billy Parish & Dev Aujla's book,Making Good. Thoroughly enjoyable read by two Millennials that reads likeWhat Color is Your Parachute?for savvy young change agents.

I just bought 20 copies online to give away to friends who are trying to figure out what to do with their lives. Engrossing and helpful – I highly recommend!

Billy

ps.Two ways to buy it:

Order from a local independent bookst... read more »

View more on William Upski Wimsatt's website »

0 comments

•

Published on March 01, 2012 22:01 • 8 views

View all 79 posts »

combine editions
Books by William Upski Wimsatt

Average rating: 3.72 · 1,102 ratings · 108 reviews · 4 distinct works

	Bomb the Suburbs: Graffiti, Race, Freight-Hopping and the Search for Hip Hop's Moral Center 3.74 avg rating — 592 ratings — published 1995 — 6 editions	My rating:
	No More Prisons: Urban Life, Home-Schooling, Hip-Hop Leadership, the Cool Rich Kids Movement, a Hitchhiker's Guide to Community Organzing, and Why Philanthropy is the Greatest Art Form of the 21st Century! 3.70 avg rating — 442 ratings — published 1999 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Please Don't Bomb the Suburbs: A Midterm Report on My Generation and the Future of Our Super Movement 3.81 avg rating — 31 ratings — published 2010 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Flatness is God: Art + Design + Process + Picture Plane Theory + X, Y by Ryan Mcginness, MCGUINNESS 3.81 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 1999 — 2 editions	My rating:
	How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office: The Anti-Politics, Un-Boring Guide to Power by Adrienne Maree Brown (Editor), William Upski Wimsatt (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Bouapha Toommaly (Contributor) 3.49 avg rating — 37 ratings — published 2004 — 2 editions	My rating:

More books by William Upski Wimsatt…

Upcoming Events

No scheduled events. Add an event.

rss
William's Recent Updates

William Upski is now friends with Lisa
11 hours, 29 min ago
William Upski added: Please Don't Bomb the Suburbs: A Midterm Report on My Generation and the Future of Our Super Movement by William Upski Wimsatt (Goodreads Author) read in July, 2010	My rating:
Wow, I just stumbled upon Good Reads and found you all here. I feel like I walked in on a conversation and I'd love to eavesdrop. I am dying to hear people's thoughts on the ideas in this book. Field 3.0 and Supermovements. Good people getting Power....more
Sep 27, 2010 09:30pm · see review
William Upski gave to: How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office: The Anti-Politics, Un-Boring Guide to Power by Adrienne Maree Brown	My rating:
This is probably the most under-rated and useful book I've ever worked on. I hope more people read it -20 real life stories of young progressives winning and swinging elections. Complete with suspense and lessons learned.
Sep 27, 2010 09:20pm · see review

More of William's books…

William's Bookshelves

William's Friends (40)

William's Fans (14)

William Upski Wimsatt

Goodreads author profile

79 posts
William Upski Wimsatt's Blog

combine editions
Books by William Upski Wimsatt

Upcoming Events

rss
William's Recent Updates

William's Friend Comments

Flag Abuse

William's Bookshelves

William's Friends (40)

William's Fans (14)

William Upski Wimsatt

Goodreads author profile

79 postsWilliam Upski Wimsatt's Blog

combine editionsBooks by William Upski Wimsatt

Upcoming Events

rssWilliam's Recent Updates

William's Friend Comments

Flag Abuse

79 posts
William Upski Wimsatt's Blog

combine editions
Books by William Upski Wimsatt

rss
William's Recent Updates