Sure, John Green may write best-selling young-adult novels, manage a YouTube channel (vlogbrothers) and organize an annual conference for video bloggers (VidCon), but he’s more than just an author, an artist and an innovator. I would go so far as to call him a prophet. No, not a prophet in a biblical sense. Don’t freak out. More a prophet in a universal, all-things-connected sort of context. Some say that through his books, John gives a voice to teenagers. I humbly disagree. I think John hears the voices of teenagers. He acknowledges the intelligence and vulnerability that stem from those beautiful years when we are, for the first time, discovering the world and ourselves outside of our familial stories. But he doesn’t just listen to young adults. He treats every human he meets as their own planet, rather than simply one of his moons. He sees people with curiosity, compassion, grace and excitement. And he’s encouraging a huge community of followers to do the same. What a gift to be alive at the same time as this admirable leader.

Woodley stars in the film adaptation of Green’s The Fault in Our Stars (out June 6)

Contact us at letters@time.com.