Millennial Rise

Dear Millennial,

In their seminal work Millennial Rising: The Next Generation Neil Howe and William Strauss assert that contrary to popular opinion , you are not lost, pessimistic, self-absorbed, or rebellious, but are in fact generally happy, optimistic, and team players who follow the rules. Their book was written in 2000. Twenty years later I hope that remains the case. I think it does. 

You are also the most highly educated generation and are determined that your life and work have meaning and fulfillment. And yet, you are the most watched over generation. You have grown up with “helicopter parents” who have been at times accused of over-functioning and over-protecting. It’s not your fault. It’s not really your parent’s fault either. And in fact, it’s not of necessity a bad thing. Your parents were often harmed or abused when they were children and we were determined that we would do better. As a parent of two millennial children, I hope we did. That’s what every generation is supposed to do. 

And yet all is not well in the world of millennials. You have been sold a bill of goods that has not turned out to be what was promised. You were told that if you worked hard and got a degree you would earn a better living and your life and work would have greater purpose. But instead, you have been laden with a mountain of student loan debt and you haven’t earned more money as promised. You are often underemployed and not working in your field of expertise. You are often financially unstable, and struggle to buy homes and pay for those loans which are now due. So you’ve had to make sacrifices. You’ve put off marriage and having children. You’ve even had to move back in with your parents and then you’ve been ridiculed for it. Previous generations have squandered your nation’s resources, compromised your world’s environment, and made your children’s schools less safe. They’ve left you with a future you can’t trust and nation on the brink of implosion. Perhaps worst of all, they’ve left you with a faith you struggle to reconcile with the people you see practicing it. 

Now is your time. You’ve been told that there was a “greatest generation” and that you are not it. Not even close. But you haven’t been tested yet. And now is your moment. Now is the time that you can write your own future and that of your children. Now is that time you can make our schools and communities safe. You can make our environment healthy. You can ensure that everyone has equal access to health care, economic security, education and community resource. Now is the time you can ensure that justice is distributed with equality and that everyone is afforded the due process of the law as codified in our constitution. Now is the time to practice your faith in a way that is meaningful to you. 

So engage at a national level. Vote your conscience according to your ideals and convictions. Engage at a  local level. Help those who are needy and serve your community with love. Engage in an individual level and pursue your faith or spiritual practice. Find opportunities to serve and to lead in your church or faith community, and remember that there are many of us from previous generations that want the same things you do. 

Now is your moment. Millennial rise. I believe in you.