No – we didn’t vote en masse on Tuesday like we did two years ago. Blame it Obama not being up for re-election, or blame it the fact that our attention is elsewhere and midterm elections notoriously have lower turnouts than presidential elections. Blame it on whatever you want; just don’t take it as a mandate that under-30’s all across America don’t care where this country is headed.
The reality is that Millennials are choosing en masse to bring about change differently. Even though many think that the government can fix many of our present social problems, we’re not waiting for policy to be passed in Washington.
Need proof? Here are three ways Generation Y is jumping in and changing the world:
- Teach for America: This 20-year old organization constantly attracts the top graduating talent every year. Students that would work on Wall Street instead want to work in that dingy classroom in an underperforming school. Teach for America’s recent acceptance rate? Twelve percent. Millennials are fighting to impact America’s schoolchildren.
- TOMS Shoes – The poster child of social enterprise, TOMS Shoes uses its one for one model to provide shoes for kids all over the world (more than a million at last count). And, these Shoes of Tomorrow are on many Millennial feet, allowing the buyer to make a difference and tell others about how they’re changing the world.
- Blood:Water Mission – In my hometown of Nashville is one of the best branded nonprofits you’ll find. Providing clean water and other services to people in Africa, B:WM has a growing base of support of college students and young professionals who do everything to support the organization like ride bikes across the country, donate money online, and hold events. The charity has a throng of Gen Y advocates.
More Millennials would rather buycott than boycott, and we’d rather volunteer than vote. Say what you want to about our political engagement, just don’t try to assert that we’re not engaged at all. Gen Y has the pontential to change the world, just not in the way you think.
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Sam,
I think this is an excellent post, and I 100% agree with you! The number of milennials who voted in this midterm election should not dictate how we want to change the world. I went to a university in Baltimore, MD, where 80% of undergraduate students volunteer in the city and surrounding areas. Many of my friends from high school and college went on to Teach for America, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, or another similar organization where they can help other people. For my friends who graduated and began jobs in corporate America, they make time to volunteer through their place of employment or finding opportunities on their own. I currently work in non-profit, and I know that many others my age are in the same industry, or working towards degrees like MSWs to become social workers.
Your other examples here are very powerful as well. Thank you for bringing attention to just a taste of the good this generation is doing.
-Christa
@ChristaMarzan
Christa:
80%? That’s impressive! And eye-opening. It’s great to see so many in our generation do so much good – and it’s only going to get better!
Sam,
I love this. Thanks so much for sharing and setting a few people straight. I’ve tried to get similar points across for years and its great to hear other peoples perspectives. It isn’t that we don’t want to change things. We just see an entire system broken so we are creating a new one instead.
Bryan
Bryan: Glad I could help. I’m all for creating new systems. Glad my generation is, too!
Good post Sam – While many of us do realize that voting and changing policy at the highest level is important, I personally feel handcuffed to not be able to institute change at such volume.
Instead, we can make a smaller change, but if 100 of us make just a small change, that transforms into something big that has a far reaching impact.
If the gov’t helps to reward those who go into service (Peace Corps, Teach for America) we will get more people to join those programs and improve life for everyone.
I know how Gen-Y acts, but I’m a bit worried about the generation behind us.
Exactly. I think in the US – a land of 300MM+ – government has gotten too big and macro-change can be cumbersome, if possible. I’d love to see more incentives (like student loan reduction) on behalf of government as a “reward” for serving in some capacity. Maybe once more Gen Y’ers take office, we’ll see it!
Exactly!
NEW SYSTEMS!
For beliefs and actions. Movements! The next revolution will not be in the political forum. It will be pushed by technology. By us!
Right on! I’m ready for it! Bring it!
POWERFUL STUFF! I never thought about the other ways that young people contribute positively to defeat the status quo. I’ve always heard that being engaged politically is the end-all-be-all. Love your blog btw
Keep ‘em coming…
I think we’re seeing a blurring of the lines – which I’m all for. The lines are blurring in the nonprofit/for profit sectors in terms of what social good can be accomplished. I’d like to see society be changed outside of government as well.
As a baby-boomer, I am empowered and encouraged by Gen-Y’s desire to be the change that we all want to see. However, I only need to read the stories of suffragists like Alice Paul and Lucy Burns or see the photos of a disenfranchised south of the 60s to know that each generation has it’s own responsibility to not just be the change but make the change for America to achieve it’s potential. Anyone who can should cast their vote every single time there is an opportunity to do so. It’s not just a right, it’s a privilege gained through much sacrifice.
I hope my post wasn’t seen as an “It’s okay not to vote” post. I agree – voting should be a priority for everyone. But, when lackluster options fill the ballot, I understand why people aren’t motivated, no matter what our ancestors did. I like to eat, but if my only options are Hardees and Golden Corral, I’d rather starve.
My hope is that more Gen Yers will run for office and be the change they wish to see.
I also think this generation has less American pride. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
Come on man….Golden Corral? They’ve got it all! Chinese, pizza, burgers, prime rib, ice cream. What’s not to love? (sarcasm)
I’ve certainly found what you say to be true in my research for a book I just wrote. Buycotting, volunteering, giving back one-to-one–they’re all important, and inspiring, ways your generation is making a difference. Plus, no one can argue that politics this season wasn’t a huge turn-off: angry and divisive. Yet voting still matters, and is a fundamental way we have a voice in society. I’m curious— a recent study found that younger adults tend to stay home when the politics gets angry and heated while older voters tend to turn out more often in those cases. Why do you think that is? I’d love to hear from people.
Babs: I’d love to hear more about this book. Where can I find it?
I don’t know why young people would stay away when things get nasty. I think it’s all nasty these days. Gen Y may be “protected” from it a bit, considering most of us don’t see TV campaign commercials since we consume TV via Netflix and Hulu.
Gen Y can easily turn itself off, though. If something bothers or doesn’t work for us, we’ll easily go on to the next thing.
Interesting insight– the ability to turn off, and also not seeing the ads as often as the older generation. I know newspaper reading is way down, and television viewing is an older demographic. Hadn’t put those pieces together that maybe the angry tone just isn’t getting through to the younger generation. So it’s not that you’re staying home bc you’re turned off by the tone. You’re staying home (perhaps) for other reasons, like maybe politics in DC just doesn’t seem relevant to the immediate here and now. You can make a difference in your community and see & feel the results, so that’s so much more satisfying.
I didn’t want to blatantly plug my book, but you can find it here: mybarbararay.com
It’s called: Not Quite Adults: Why 20-somethings are choosing a slower path to adulthood and why it’s good for all of us (out Dec 28 by Random House).
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