Gen Z: A Generation of Changemakers

The generation born between 1997 and 2012 is known to society as Gen Z, postmillennial, or the iGeneration. But they’re most often referred to as Gen Z. According to Fortune, the generation made up about a third of the 7.7 billion global population in 2019, edging out the 31.5% of people around the globe who are considered millennials, according to a Bloomberg analysis of United Nations data. 

With this Gen Z making more than a dent in the population, it should not be baffling when realizing how much of an immense amount of influence that they have in society. 

The set of issues faced by this generation such as mental health, acceptance, racism, inflation and climate change are eerily the same as those dealt with by their generational predecessors. Yet, the stakes for Gen Z to solve them appear to be higher, and they’re up for the task. 

Born into a world when progress was full steam ahead, Gen Z has no choice but to conduct the train. During the formative years of the generation, the first Black President of the United States was elected and same-sex marriage became legalized. This meant that for Gen Z continuing to make even more progress in society is simply just expected of them. What attributes to widespread change being made by them is their ability to be highly collaborative. 

This is primarily due to the fact that Gen Z is the most diverse and inclusive generation. 

According to the Pew Research Center, a majority (52%) are non-Hispanic white - significantly smaller than the share of Millennials who were non-Hispanic white in 2002 (61%); one-in-four Gen Z are Hispanic, 14% are Black, 6% are Asian and 5% are some other race or two or more races. According to The Washington Post, 1 in 6 Gen Z adults are LGBTQIA+; and the numbers could continue to grow. 

Where there is collaboration, there has to be communication. This is a generation that does not and cannot use distance as an excuse to host fundraisers, protests and forums to make progress in society. 

Gen Z were born “digital natives” with technology and social media at their disposal. For some, it has been used as an agent for creating change in society by hosting Instagram Lives and Zoom meetings with nonprofit organizations; engaging in humanitarian work and organizing demonstrations to urge legislators to create policies or change problematic ones.

From a simple swipe on a phone screen and click on a keyboard, Gen Z will continue to create movements for progress in society. They will forever be the generation of changemakers.