Imagine…
“Just a tiny candle we lit. It wasn’t much. But it was something.”
—Gary Svee, an editor at the Billings Gazette, 1994.
The quote above appears on the cover of the new edition of my book, The Christmas Menorahs: How A Town Fought Hate.
The book recounts the true story of the extraordinary 1993 holiday season in Billings, Montana, when the town took a united, courageous stand against hate and bigotry. The citizens of Billings were perplexed by the national attention their actions received. “Just a tiny candle we lit,” said Gary Svee, an editor at the Billings Gazette.
And yet…imagine how different our country (and the world) would be if people in every community just “lit a tiny candle” against hate and injustice.
Now imagine if the actions of all young people, who “lit a tiny candle” were recognized and honored.
At a time when the problems and challenges of young people today are routinely discussed, imagine if the actions of young people who have shown moral courage and compassion on behalf of others could be routinely highlighted.
In December 2025, my town library in Montclair, New Jersey, presented a special holiday event that celebrated some of Montclair’s young Upstanders and featured a reading of portions of The Christmas Menorahs, along with an excerpt from the acclaimed 1995 PBS documentary, Not In Our Town, which cinematically tells this story of how the people of Billings took a strong stand against hate and bigotry.
The book reading and film were meant to inspire the audience. But much inspiration came from hearing about the actions of the young people who were being honored.
What makes a child or adolescent an Upstander? Is it a dramatic, brave, morally courageous act? Is it less dramatic, quieter acts of compassion and kindness towards others in need, or can being a true Upstander encompass both—or either?
The research shows that when children and adolescents stand up for—and take actions to help—others in need, it can help them as well by enhancing their self-esteem, lowering their stress and anxiety, and even improving their academic performance.
That’s why it’s important for communities (whether those communities are schools, houses of worship, or towns) to recognize and honor young Upstanders. This could be for actions taken on behalf of other Americans or on behalf of people around the world.
My book, Freedom Pancakes For Ukraine, published in 2024, tells the story of a Ukrainian refugee boy, displaced by the current war in his country, and an American girl who wanted to find a way to help the Ukrainian children.
One of the reasons I wrote it was to encourage American children and adolescents to realize that they can counteract their feelings of helplessness when hearing about war and injustice by taking positive action and making a difference, however small they may think that difference is.
Time magazine recently named its 2025 “Kid of the Year.” The winner featured on its cover, Tejasvi Manoj, used her exceptional computer skills and her “on-site” experts—her parents—to create an extraordinary website, Shield Seniors, which will help protect countless seniors from consumer scams.
My dream is to have a national movement to encourage young people to stand up and help others. They don’t have to possess exceptional skills or expertise since every young person has the ability to help another human being in some way. They may not end up on the cover of Time magazine, but their actions should be recognized and honored.
During these difficult, divisive times, let’s encourage thousands of “tiny candles” to be lit by young people on behalf of those in need. It will be good for them, as well as for the people they stand up for, and thus help make our world a better place for all.
You may also be interested in the article I have written for young people, in Skipping Stones magazine about Upstanders.
Dr. Janice Cohn is a psychotherapist and children’s book author. She can be contacted at: janice@drjanicecohn.com. The Christmas Menorahs: How A Town Fought Hate, this 30th Anniversary edition was a winner of the 2025 Skipping Stones Book Awards. You can read a review of the book here.