September 17, 2021
We all knew this day was coming. The day that Generation Z would have to find its voice. What we might not have considered was who would speak for us and represent what we cared about. For Black Generation Z members, what happened recently in the news should make us understand what is coming and how important it is to speak up and vote to ensure our views and experiences are heard and understood.
In late August, David Hogg, a popular Gen Z activist, co-founder and board member at March For Our Lives, posted a series of tweets attacking Democrats for doing little to nothing for “young people.” His push on Democratic Party elected officials was specifically focused on the issues he said young people care about: climate change, gun reform, and student debt.
Hogg expressed in his tweets that if this is not done, young people will likely sit out the next elections and not vote. His Twitter thread has been shared by thousands and is being discussed by not only Gen Z’ers but those from older generations too.
As I read his tweets, I was moved by the clarity and position of authority David held in his own opinions of what “young people” cared about in the area of public policy. He was clear that the issues of climate change, gun reform, and student debt are major issues of concern that would decide if young people would vote in the 2022 election. More importantly, many older Americans read his tweet and accepted his voice and opinion as representing our entire generation.
I thought of my own experiences and discussions with fellow members of Generation Z, especially with Black students, and I realized that the issues that we talked about and cared about the most didn’t line up with the three issues raised by David Hogg. In fact, for most of the discussions I have had recently with my peers, the focus of policy concern for Black students has and continues to be the issues of the ongoing racism that is built into our society.