Alison (Seattle Works executive director) and I had the opportunity to meet with Alex Steed, a millennial activist and freelance journalist who is traveling the country to uncover what motivates the millennial generation—those born between 1980 and 1992 and defined by their digital connectivity. The project, called MILLENNIALS CHANGING AMERICA, aims to paint a comprehensive and diverse picture of what these young activists think, look like, and how they function.
While in Seattle over the Halloween weekend, we met-up with Alex at the Greenlake Starbucks and engaged in a fascinating discussion about “Millennials” versus and “X’ers” with an aim to find out how different we really are… or aren't. Though it is probably still too early to define this generation, Alex shared some interesting learnings with us including that this generation of activists is content to work within the system to better it, something that almost directly opposes the very essence of what I’ve always considered the definition of activism. Another interesting idea he shared with us was an opportunity he sees for X’ers to ease the cultural shifts happening in the workplace by leveraging Millennial’s eagerness to be mentored.
For me, the most compelling part of our discussion focused around how this generation has been impacted by technology and a radically altered media landscape. Is the rise in citizen journalism and increased corporate transparency account for this generation’s lack of cynicism? Did the narrow media landscape of earlier generations create a radical and sometimes violent opposition culture because there was no other way for our voices to be heard?
What do you think? Have you noticed any of these trends among your Millennial or X’er friends, family and colleagues? We’d love to hear from you.
Sarah Haeger
