DALLAS JESSUP
2012 YOUTH AWARD
Just Yell Fire
United States, Global
When she was 13, Dallas Jessup saw security video footage of a teenage girl being abducted in Florida on the evening news. Two days later it was announced that the girl had been murdered. With a black belt in martial arts, Dallas knew that if the girl had known a few basic self-defense techniques, she would have had a better chance of getting away. She decided to team up with her street-fighting coach to develop a free online video in order to prevent this tragedy from happening again. Her video is accessible to young women around the world, teaching viewers get-away moves to escape a potential attacker.
Dallas founded Just Yell Fire, an all-volunteer organization that offers powerful videos for young women free of charge. Just Yell Fire has become an internationally-recognized resource for girls wanting to stop abuse, stop violence, stay safe and learn their rights. Dallas and her team have inspired a 1.5 million Girl Revolution with a presence in 64 countries.
