Dear Fellow Millennials,
I am tired. I’m tired of being told my generation doesn’t care. That we’re apathetic. That we can’t take our eyes off our phone screens long enough to see what’s going on around us. I’m tired of being told that we’re lazy. That we’re egocentric and only worried about ourselves. That the Baby Boomers are scared that one day we will be the ones running the government, the economy, and raising our own children.
I’m sick of being called the generation that doesn’t date anymore. And the generation that has lost all chivalry. I’m tired of hearing all about the ‘Netflix and chill’ epidemic, when I’m worried about equal rights and poverty. I’m worried the social security system our country has in place won’t be there when I am of retirement age. And I’m sure as hell worried that the people complaining of our government’s choices are willing to vote numerous candidates into office who could care less about the lives of our citizens and more about the dollar.
Because as much as people say we are indifferent to the things going on around us, we aren’t. According to the Millennial Impact Report, in the year 2014, 84% of millennials made charitable donations, and 70% of them had spent at least an hour of their time volunteering in the past year. The majority of our generation is focused on civic engagement and leaving society better than when we came into it.
Speaking of society, we are the most accepting of the generations in existence. HealthDay reported in 2015 that millennials are more accepting of working mothers than previous generations ever were. We are more accepting of LGBT relationships and marriages. We are open and understanding, and we know that in order to grow, we must change.
When it comes to social media, our generation wields an insane amount of power. Through campaigns like the ALS Ice Bucket challenge, the It Gets Better Project, and #BostonStrong for One Fund Boston, we have shown that it’s possible to change the world with those devices our eyes are so glued upon.
So I humbly dissent when people call out our generation for being the supposed “mess” that it is. We are the generation of Laverne Cox. Of Malala Yousafzai. Of Aziz Ansari and Adele. Of Beyoncé and Emma Watson. Of Taylor Swift, for God’s sake. We are the ones who are changing the world simply because of what we believe, and we’re teaching the younger generations what it means to be global citizens.
I won’t sit back any longer. My generation isn’t indifferent or lethargic. We’re powerful. And it’s time we realized it.
Sincerely,
An Empowered Millennial