Includes bibliographical references (page 319-345)

"On September 11, 2001, high school senior Lila Nordstrom watched from her classroom's window as the Twin Towers, mere blocks away, fell. Weeks later, at the urging of local officials and assurance from the EPA, Lila and her three thousand classmates were returned to their school-- even though the air was thick with toxic debris, dust, and smoke. In this remarkable, empowering memoir, Lila shares how the illnesses and deaths of her classmates related to the effects of the 9/11 cleanup spurred her into action. She created StuyHealth and became involved in the fight for the Victim Compensation Fund, working alongside first responders and heavy-weights like Jon Stewart, Hillary Clinton, and Nancy Pelosi, proving at every turn that her survivor community also deserves mental and physical health care, and that her voice too deserves to be heard." --book jacket