You and I are most likely a member of Generation Z- the people known for their obsession with aesthetics and addiction to social media.
Generation Z is characterized by digital natives who are overly exposed to the internet and mobile systems. This generation is different from the previous generations because of technological advances.
However, generation Z is much more than Nintendo switches and I-pads, we are misinterpreted by many. This generation is made of a strong group of people who are dominating with their activism on issues involving the greater good. Those issues include health care, human rights, the environment, media use, school shootings, sexual assault, violence, etc.
Although a majority of my generation isn’t old enough to vote, many have become activists in social and political issues through their digital connections. My generation is the epitome of change. Gen Z cares about the issues that affect them, their communities, and their FUTURE.
Within 10 years, there have been 180 school shootings and 356 victims. Generation Z was the first group of people to protest for the safety of their lives. I remember Valentine’s day 2018, seated in freshman year biology, I first heard the news. A shooter armed with a rifle walked into the school and killed 14 students and 3 staff members. That day was a sad day for everyone around the world who cares about students’ safety. However, in the wake of this tragedy, Gen Z students who attended the school dedicated their lives to preventing this from happening again.
Emma Gonzales, one of those advocates, is a prominent figure in the #NeverAgain movement. She gave a fiery, emotional speech that pushed for change against current gun control rules. However, she was not alone. Thousands of Gen Z students worldwide attended their local protests to seek change.
This is just one of the examples of Gen Z advocating for a better world. To name a few more activists, Greta Thunberg is a leader of the climate-change youth movement and was recently awarded the Time’s 2019 Person of the Year. Gen Z is educated far beyond any other generation, we have the potential to save the world from global issues.
What I’m trying to say is that our generation is powerful. We see problems and seek change. We want the best for the future of our generation and the generations to come. Gen Z will change the world and is primed to save the world from global issues.