Having spent nearly a quarter century hiring, training and supervising high school interns under the New York City School-to-Work Co-op Program in the corporate workplace and  presenting business etiquette training to college and university students at their campuses, I have a keen interest to see that all students have the best possible educational and career experiences, for themselves, our country and the world. To do so, they must be safe from harm, threats and bullying, from their places of learning, work, and the government. We’ve all been in Gen Z’s shoes in one way or another, and so as teens and young adults graduate from high school, college, grad school and trade school this season, this post is dedicated to them.

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“You don’t have to be a poet, you don’t have to be a politician or be in the White House to make an impact with your words. We all have this capacity to find solutions for the future.” ~ Amanda Gorman, Former US Youth Poet Laureate, 2017

“Without the persistence of voters in America getting up to every election, democracy will not flourish.” ~ David Hogg

“This we should be able to agree on – there is nothing political about condemning violence, lest we sanction a society dominated by the weaponization of fear. We must confront online radicalization, the martyrdom of perpetrators, and the dehumanization of victims across the ideological spectrum.” ~ Dayla Berkowitz

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take—so I take them all.” ~ Caitlin Clark

“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” ~ William Ernest Henley, who wrote “Invictus” in 1875 when he was 26, the age that falls withing today’s Gen Z

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Throughout our history, each generation’s young people in some fashion, have been where Gen Z is today, going all the way back to the Revolutionary War when the average age of the soldiers fighting for the birth of our nation was around 22 and some were as young as 15. Young  people have traditionally been the harbingers of change.

Now it’s Gen Z’s turn. As a reminder, those in the preceding generations of the past 125 years have faced and overcome their own challenges and obstacles — and achieved victories.  As such, we who are still standing today should be empathetic and supportive of Gen Z, whichever of the following generations we are a part. [Note that there can be overlap among the generations; for example, someone born in the early 1940s (The Silent Generation) could share experiences and traits with those born in the mid-to-late 1940s (Boomers). Hence, more than one generation will have experienced the same event, but the young people of each generation were — and are — the ones most affected precisely due to their youth.] 

The Greatest Generation (1901-1927)

Overcame the Great Depression and WWII; created the Middle Class, and passed into law Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; persevered through the McCarthy era; and drove the most prosperous period in U.S. history up to that time. On a lighter note, ushered in an era that resulted in the Golden Age of Radio.

The Silent Generation [Includes The Beat Generation] (1928-1945)

Survived the stress and austerity of the Great Depression and WWII, the anxiety of the Cold War, and the terror of McCarthyism., Fought in the Korean War, and some served in the military during the Vietnam era. Sparked the Civil Rights movement, and built the Interstate Highway System. Created Rock & Roll, facilitated the transition from radio to the Golden Age of TV. The Silents comprised a small generation, as there were fewer births due to stress and worry during this era. However, the Silents also contributed to the prosperous post-war economic boom, and some members, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gloria Steinem were anything but silent, as they were vocal leaders in the Civil Rights and Women’s Liberation movements  

The Baby Boomers (1946-1964)

Met the challenges of racial and gender bigotry in the 1960s and 1970s by contributing to the success of the Civil Rights movement and starting the Women’s Liberation Movement. Prompted ground-breaking Supreme Court decisions on civil and equal rights, including Roe v. Wade, and social and consumer protection legislation; and ended a corrupt and dangerous presidency. Lived through the Cold War (as did many of the Silent Generation and Gen X), were torn apart by the Vietnam War, which affected them at home and abroad in numerous ways. Ignited the gay rights movement with the June 28, 1969, Stonewall Uprising. Grappled with the AIDS crisis during 1980s that killed thousands and left many more isolated from society and psychologically damaged, and the increase in drug experimentation, particularly of the psychedelic kind. Rode the wave of the Sexual Revolution. Ushered in the era of the personal computer. Continued the musical streak of the previous generation with counterculture folk rock, soul, R&B and disco. Was the largest generation to date due to the post-WWII baby boom that was sparked by post-war cultural changes and economic expansion.  

Generation X (1965-1980)

Experienced the Cold War era. Managed independence at an early age as latchkey kids when more families had both parents working. Gen X is the smallest of recent generations, but became the most highly educated generation to date. And despite the Stock Market crash of 1987 and the recession of 1990, and increase in this generation’s amount of student loan debt, Gen X managed to snag powerful and high paying jobs, possibly due to their small numbers and high demand for leaders. In the 1990s, spearheaded the dot.com startups and helped to create the dot.com bubble and longest economic expansion since post-WWII, and the bubble’s subsequent burst in 2000. Led the transition into the digital age and social media.

 Generation Y – The Millennials (1981-1996) 

Challenged by gun violence in schools starting with Columbine High School on April 20, 1999; the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Great Recession of 2007-2008, employment challenges, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and crippling student loan debt. Pioneered society’s transition to the Internet, social media, mobile phones — including smartphones. Known for being champions and drivers of diversity, empathy, equity and inclusion, they pushed the gay rights movement all the way to the Supreme Court to legalize gay marriage and advanced DEI in the workplace. Black Lives Matter (BLM) was born “in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer.” Focused on teamwork and collaboration; putting positive social global impact over personal achievement and financial gain. Influenced industry to develop user-friendly technologies that make life more enjoyable and productive, and fearlessly and comfortably tested and critiqued them. Overtook the Boomers to become the largest generation. Books on the Millennials include The Ones We’ve Been Waiting For and articles include Here Come the Millennials.

Generation Z (1997-2012)

The first generation of true digital natives, Gen Z has no reference to life before the Internet and their members spend many more hours online than other generations do; hence, they are major consumers of social media and have a more complicated relationship with it. Gen Z is also the generation that will likely tame and master AI technology (which originated in modern times under The Greatest Generation in the 1950s). 

Deeply concerned about climate change and has its champions for climate action, including the first Gen Z U.S. Representative, Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Gen Z conservative environmentalist and founder of American Conservation Coalition Benji Backer.  Created March for our Lives in response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting, and other incidents of gun violence in schools. Broadsided by the COVID 19 pandemic and the consequential educational, financial and social setbacks it caused.  Coped with the cloud of the Afghanistan War and it’s abrupt and upsetting ending. Continue to grapple with student loan debt. Expressed fresh outrage over racial inequality following the killing of George Floyd. 

Lived under two Trump Administrations that have spread hate, fear, division and despair; caused rifts in families; attacked high schools, libraries, colleges and universities over the right to free speech (book banning, course cancelations and restrictions on the use of certain words and phrases, DEI); threatened to take away healthcare insurance coverage; bullied institutions of higher education, and weaponized antisemitism (according to the person who drafted the working definition of antisemitism); attempted to bar foreign students from attending U.S. institutions. 

Some say that Gen Z is the least resilient of modern generations; others say they are resourceful and innovative, as well as pragmatic, independent and entrepreneurial. 

But think of what Gen Z has had to face! In addition to the aforementioned, I cannot imagine what it must be like to participate in schoolhouse active shooter drills, which began with Gen Y and escalated with Gen Z. When I was a youngster during the Cold War I participated in the schoolroom “duck and cover” drills that were designed to teach us what to do if the Soviet Union attacked the U.S. with nuclear weapons. While that was bad enough to instill deep anxiety in children and teens, active shooter drills are beyond the pale. 

How Gen Z recovers from and triumphs over their experiences depends, of course, on them, but also on us older generations and how we support our youth.   

Moving Forward

 Gen Z is not only the future of our country but also a powerful force right now, and older and more experienced adults can and should bolster them on their shoulders. Knowing what I know based on my own experiences, I would encourage Gen Z to:

o Keep speaking up and speaking out, but do so safely. It’s important to remember always that we Americans have powerful tools to help us protest and maintain our freedom and independence: The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees our rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, and to petition the Government for redress of grievances. Also important to remember is that there is strength in numbers, such as in organizations like March For Our Lives (founded by Gen Zer David Hogg) and Indivisible (co-founded by Millennials Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg). And when assembling for peaceful protests and demonstrations, again, be safe; if you are a minor you might need to get your parents’ approval. There are also other ways to express your opinions: phone-banking, knocking on doors (but not alone; always go with someone no matter how old you are!), writing letters to the editor and to our elected officials, and engaging wisely and safely on social media.

o Vote! Activism is great, but it should lead up to and include voting for the people who will be representing you and making decisions on your behalf. Using your vote is not only a powerful tool for change, it is the responsibility of every U.S. citizen to self-govern, and we do that primarily through our votes. 

o Maintain true friendships and strong relationships. This is no time to be alone or isolate. Building  relationships, nurturing friendships and joining organizations can help to provide emotional support and  navigate the trials and tribulations of everyday life — family, school, work, social issues — as well as what is going on in the country and world. 

o Ask for help. Good physical and mental health are essential to functioning, so if you are not feeling well in any sense, asking for help from such resources as family, friends, teachers, mentors, counselors and healthcare professionals can be a good start. Getting professional help often involves having some sort of healthcare insurance if you cannot afford to pay all costs out of pocket. 

If you are employed and have employer-covered insurance, or if you are not yet 26 and on your parents’ insurance policy, you could use these resources. If you don’t have insurance, you might apply for Medicaid or CHIPS – yes, I know, both are under threat right now, but you could apply anyway until it’s clear on what exactly is happening. There is also the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace (also known as Obamacare).  

Still Standing

We older generations all have had our moments in history, and we’re still standing. We’ve all been Gen Z, and as this generation takes on the fight for positive social, political and environmental changes, we all need to be in the fight with — and for — them to make sure they are still standing when it’s time for them to pass the mantle to the next generation (Generation Alpha – 2010-2024).

Until next time,

Jeanne

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