I’m a Gen Z kid. Born in 2003, I grew up in the age of cell phones, smart devices, school shootings, and climate change. Throughout elementary and middle school, I had role models, mostly consisting of my parents, Michelle Obama, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. While these people still hold prominent positions in my life as mentors I look up to, now as a high schooler, the age of my role models has dropped a few generations. In light of events such as the Parkland Shooting and Global Climate Strikes, my new role models include Emma Gonzalez, David Hogg, and Greta Thunberg. Kids, both older and younger than me, are at the forefront of these campaigns for change in our world. We represent Gen Z, and we’re frankly pissed off about the world we are inheriting.
Before Parkland, I was passionate about gun control. Why? Because I was scared. I was scared of being shot in my classroom or when I was out and about with friends at the mall. But did I do anything? Yes and no. I took steps to organize with other students at my school who cared. But these were small steps. It wasn’t until I saw teens who had been through the very tragedy of which I was terrified, speak out that I had a sense that students can create change. These students called out adults in government who stood by as these tragedies unfolded, again and again. And someone my age was holding them accountable. My club began planning events for my school, and we became involved with the gun debate at our county fairgrounds. Seeing teenagers speak out and “call BS” on national television inspired me and my fellow peers at school to begin not just asking, but demanding change from our local legislators and beyond. I felt inspired to attend a social action trip with my temple to Washington D.C. and empowered to lobby my congressperson about gun control. While on that trip, I had the chance to meet a Parkland survivor my age, advocating for the same legislation.
News is always cycling, and the new big thing for Gen Z is climate change. We call ourselves “VSCO Girls” by using reusable Hydro Flasks and paper straws so we can “save the turtles” and call out anyone who dares to bring a plastic water bottle to school. Climate change has always been an issue of which my friends and I have been aware. But the momentum we have now with Greta Thunberg leading the fight is almost unbelievable. We walk out of class to protest the use of fossil fuels. We gather in the streets to put our president on notice that we are aware of the dire consequences to our own generation of those decisions made by his – and that we are angry. Do they listen? Well, as we enter the 2020 election year, I guess we’ll find out.
With role models under the age of 20 calling out adults and riling up the world’s population under the age of 25, Gen Z is making more and more noise to call out our own governments on their lack of action. We’ve crossed a threshold; we’re no longer just upset that the government won’t take action. In 30 years, I won’t get to just sit back in my reclining chair with the air conditioner blowing, the doors open, and my expensive car with its carbon footprint out front. We’ve lost that luxury. I’ll be spending my money on trying to save Vietnam, parts of Egypt, and Thailand from being completely engulfed by the ocean. My generation no longer gets the luxury to just dismiss science because we don’t want to deal with it. We have to clean up this mess before it’s an irreversible problem. This growing rage against our inheritance has manifest itself into protests, walk outs, and speeches. Although fiery passion has its benefits, one downside is having young people just focusing on blaming older generations for screwing us over. Yes, it is their fault for letting climate change become a reality. Yes, it is their fault for creating a culture of normalized shootings. But that doesn’t mean that we can wallow in anger. It is still our duty to demand action – a form of constructive criticism if you will. These young role models leading the way are the perfect example of what all of us teens must do. Being mad gets you nowhere. It’s imperative to combine anger with action to join that march downtown to raise awareness of climate change, to protest gun violence, and most of all, to preregister to vote. I did.
