Originally published on the CGS blog on June 30, 2014.
Lazy, selfish, and unmotivated: these are the characteristics commonly attributed to members of Generation Y. Generation Y, or the Millennial Generation, is considered to be all individuals born between 1980 and the early 2000s. Older generations often regard “millennials” as the future leaders of the world who just don’t know what they’re doing. Public opinion polls have shown that many regard the generation as lacking a strong work ethic and overall feeling of purpose in life.
While such accusations are levied against Generation Y, I have seen firsthand how my generation defies these stereotypes on a daily basis. Just recently at the “Global Solutions: Raise Your Global Voice” annual conference held in DC, multiple college students, including myself, took part in the events hosted by the organization over the course of two days. During the conference, millennials proved that the world’s issues are their issues, and that only by taking an active role in the solution-making process can we fix the global problems we face.
The first day of the conference involved members of both GlobalSolutions.org and the American Bar Association taking to Capitol Hill to lobby for the ratification of international treaties. Despite the fact that older members of the organizations had been familiar with the issues for decades, it was the millennials that took the lead in many of the meetings. Other college students and I showed to the congressional staffers on the Hill that the international issues we inherited from past generations can only be solved if we take action and if our elected representatives do their part in passing legislation.
The remainder of the conference consisted of various discussions on how Global Solutions can achieve its goals and expand its member base across the country. Once again, millennials showed their might and stood out as the leaders of innovation in all discussions. A push for a greater social media presence in today’s technology-driven world was the main suggestion, with many urging local chapters to create their own Facebook pages in order to garner greater community support.
Expanding campus outreach efforts was another idea proposed by the college students in attendance. Approaching student organizations such as international relations clubs and model United Nations programs is a way to spread awareness on the issues Global Solutions takes up and to garner a greater youth member base. This could greatly benefit the organization in its future endeavors, as student groups such as these are some of the fasting growing in the US.
Despite the negative stereotypes, millenials will always rise above the labels society puts on us. Confident, connected, and open to change – these are the characteristics that truly depict who we are. We are the generation that has inherited the world’s problems, and we are the generation that intends to fix them. Only through continued innovation and youth engagement within organizations can the world progress to a state of peace and stability.
