I am a devoted member of Generation Z. At 18 years old, I spend my time doing what most teenagers do: refreshing my social media pages, sending my friends amusing memes and browsing trending news stories. A few months ago, I was munching on some delicious avocado toast and slurping down my vanilla latte (with oat milk, of course) when I came across an article on my phone: “Why the ‘Z’ In ‘Gen Z’ Means ‘Zombie.’” I nearly choked on a chunk of avocado.
Hours of research later, I found dozens of online blogs hammering and disparaging Gen Z to the core: Internet users everywhere had seemingly allied themselves, intent on bullying this generation — my generation. It became apparent that we needed some backup and that someone from Generation Z was going to have to provide it. So here I am, fervently typing, in hopes of restoring some credibility to our generation as one empowered to reform the current and future condition of our world.
With its first members born in 1996, Generation Z witnessed the reelection of Bill Clinton as toddlers, lived through the rise of the internet, Pokemon and eBay, and, by now, has had a front-row seat to the evolution and repeated upheaval of modern society. Already possessing a wealth of experience at a young age, an intrinsic understanding of powerful technological tools and a competitive drive to be seen and heard, Gen Z is poised to have a positive and lasting influence on the world.
But what truly is Generation Z? Who are we? What do we stand for? What is our role in the context of all our preceding generations? These are questions on which I have begun to reflect, particularly while navigating the transition to college and embarking on my first steps into adulthood.
Elder generations have sought to answer these questions themselves and have come to less than positive conclusions. Many, for instance, have doubted our participation in societal matters: In my experience, “What wars has Gen Z fought and died in?” is one popular question. In fact, the answer is several, including conflicts in Iraq, Iran and Syria. But more importantly, Gen Z, unlike its predecessors, is acutely aware that waging endless war is not the only way to fight in this modern era.
Armed with a diversity of knowledge and a sincere willingness to advocate for change, we have found other outlets for activism and engagement to be more meaningful and effective than belligerence. Indeed, Gen Z has directly disputed the idea that we are apathetic and lazy by mobilizing and participating in large-scale worldwide protests to advance our passions about issues such as climate change, gun control and racially motivated discrimination.
Even if it does not wield the guns or don the military uniforms of previous generations, Gen Z’s dedication to action is evidenced by various teen-driven coalitions and initiatives: Take the Sunrise Movement, for example. This Gen Z-led grassroots organization not only coordinates nationwide climate strikes but also fearlessly petitions local and national government representatives to take drastic action. Another broad-based movement founded by eighteen-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, “Fridays for Future,” encourages students to advocate for climate awareness at their schools by forgoing Friday classes to attend demonstrations, and has earned Thunberg global acclaim. She even took a thirteen-day, cross-Atlantic voyage to decrease her carbon footprint when traveling to the United Nations Climate Action Summit two years ago, and while she has faced attacks from many, including former President Donald Trump, Thunberg relentlessly pursues continuous activism, even in the midst of a raging pandemic.
And let’s not forget the continuously expanding March For Our Lives movement for gun control. Just days after being confronted by horrifying gun violence at their high school, young students in Parkland, Florida unfurled a campaign dedicated to ensuring that such mass suffering would never occur again. Adults, in their disregard for and enabling of the nation’s gun violence epidemic, had failed them, resulting in the loss of seventeen of their peers. In response, this country’s young people, and now millions of others, have come together to protest their political leaders’ inaction, refusing to accept that daily gun violence is just the reality of American life.
It’s clear: our generation is the driver of political action nationwide. Compared to generations of the past, Gen Zers are viewing and learning more about activist movements, especially online, are increasingly conversing about the deep-rooted societal structures underlying the issues for which organizers are campaigning and in turn are physically doing more to be a part of the change. According to the New York Times, the vast majority of in-person demonstrations we have seen across the country have been organized by the teens and young adults that comprise Generation Z. This has likely been aided by the technological immersion of our generation, with many spreading awareness on social media and online networks. Indeed, a Yubo poll from June 2020 found that nearly 90% of Gen Zers recurrently utilize social media to demonstrate their solidarity with and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Of that percentage, 73% of young BLM advocates employ Instagram for their activism, 26% use TikTok, 25% use Twitter, and 12% use Facebook.
My fellow members of Generation Z acknowledge that we will live our lives in a state of emergency if reform is not implemented, and after years of oblivion and ignorance, Gen Z is ready to tackle these problems head-on. Driven by that consciousness, we have powerfully and purposefully stood up for change: These so-called “zombies” are, in reality, bold and unflinching heroes.
Day in and day out, we read and hear about the world apparently crumbling around us, with a dynamic and urgent list of problems to address every day. The odds are stacking up, and Generation Z has been left with the burden of surrendering their adolescence to correcting this globe’s cruel course, the conditions of which were created and facilitated by the neglect of older generations. Yet, in the midst of it all, I feel a sense of hope. An emerging passion. A thirst for change, activism and growth in response to these complex issues. Enough is enough. Now, it is time to honor Gen Z’s work; it is time for us to realize our potential for persistent future impact and work to leave this world better than it was when we entered it.
So I will continue my extravagant avocado toast feasts, drinking my vanilla oat milk latte on the side. I will continue perusing Instagram and Snapchat guilt-free. And I will continue to steadfastly support my peers as they fight to change the world. I’m with Gen Z, and you should be, too. The new kids are in town, and we’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
Image by Katie Rodriguez is licensed under the Unsplash License.
