The older citizens of our country often seem to chastize younger voters for not pulling their weight in civic engagement, and unfortunately they have the statistics to prove it. According to the census bureau, 18- to 29-year-old voters consistently have the lowest turnout of all age groups.
If there’s any time for this trend to change, this year could be it. After the tragic events of this past spring, I saw my peers taking more and more action against these injustices. Far from apathetic towards the current state of affairs, as we sometimes may be portrayed, Gen Z is now showing the world that we are willing to work for change.
The most common platform I’ve seen my peers use (which is also where they have the widest audience) is social media. The posts and stories on my Instagram feed have been full with phone numbers to call, petitions to sign and protests to attend. With each click, I learned more and more about the many social and political injustices that plague America.
I’ve always read the news and kept up on current events, but seeing people around me translate information into action motivated me to do the same. The first-hand experiences of social media gave me a new perspective that I was not able to understand from simply reading the news. As a result of my peers’ example, I became involved beyond the screen by attending protests and learning how to have anti-racist conversations with my family members.
When this surge in sharing began, I was at first hesitant to post about current events. With such division in our country, I fear contributing to the polarization and echo chambers that are worsening. Now, however, I realize that there is a difference between political opinion and basic human rights. I know I am compelled to stop injustice when I see it which, of course, also needs to extend far beyond social media. By using my platform to inform others, I hope to encourage them to become active citizens in the way people my age have encouraged me.
Some people might say that there’s still not enough action taken and policies changed, but I’ve found my generation’s impact to go far beyond social media. Protests all over the country have been filled with more members of my generation than any others. This action is essential, and the only way to take action that will produce a meaningful change is to first become informed.
While it is important to not always believe everything you see on social media, I still think it’s the best place to start. I know that I have done further research based on things I’ve seen and been able to develop more of a personal stance. I’ve found it especially fruitful to engage with content from all ends of the political spectrum to find the truth and learn to respect different viewpoints.
Together as members of Generation Z, we are showing the world that we care about our future. Instead of choosing to be apathetic towards our society, we are bombarded daily with all types of information on social media, and spurred to share information that will inform society.
Thank you, Gen Z, for motivating me to become a more informed citizen.
Follow HCND on Twitter, like us on Facebook, Pin with us and show our Instagram some love!