My generation has grown up during one of the most complex and unprecedented times in American history. We've witnessed war, genocide, historic climate disasters, a raging gun violence epidemic, an insurrection, an economy that doesn't work for us, and the lowest levels of trust in government — paired with an ever-deepening hyper-partisanship. And the list goes on.
We are the mass shooting generation, the generation that will bear the brunt of climate change, and the generation inheriting crises that threaten our future. We grew up with active shooter drills in our schools, watched our planet's ecosystems change before our eyes, and now face mounting student debt, an unaffordable housing market, and an uncertain economic landscape that feels rigged against us.
It's no secret that there's a lot being said right now about the recent election. People are pointing fingers, making generalizations, and casting blame, some of it unfairly directed at young people. Pundits are doing what they do best. I suppose we all still need to pay the bills.
But what often gets lost in the noise of this political finger-pointing is the relentless work and activism that young people have done — and continue to do — to build a better future. Too often overlooked is our unwavering resilience — our ability to drive change in the face of the harshest challenges and the deepest adversity.
Young people have been forged by trauma and conflict, raised in a world that tells us we don't deserve the rights our grandparents had, that we don't deserve safety, and that we don't deserve a seat at the table to determine our own future. We've been harassed, targeted, locked out, kicked when we're down, and blamed when we're not doing enough.
We're exhausted. And we have every right to be.
And yet, despite all this, we've found ways to resist, adapt, and advocate for a better world. Election after election, we've faced adversity and disappointment, yet we've continued to push forward, building our own communities and forging our own political power. Whether organizing the largest march since the Vietnam War, empowering hundreds of thousands to rally with us in cities around the world, walking out of our classrooms and into the streets to demand change, protesting and passing laws in statehouses across the country, or lobbying Congress to pass life-saving and historic legislation, we have fought tirelessly.
In this election cycle, we once again gave it our all — traveling across the country to get out the vote, talking to millions of voters, demanding change from our leaders, and ensuring our voices shaped the national conversation.
To the students studying while juggling jobs to pay rent and loans, to the Dreamers who only ask for the chance to call this country their home, to the older siblings helping their families, to those trying to start a family or find stable work, and to every young person, everywhere, I say this: Be proud of yourself. Amid all of this, you still found time to make your voice heard and fought for your life and for the future of your peers. You've carried the weight of this work while politicians, whose sole responsibility is to fight for us, neglected their jobs and threatened our lives for their own ambitions.
I wish I could tell you that the fight is over, that we could put away our clipboards and step away from the frontlines. That we could simply be kids, students, and whatever we want to be, free from the burden of these battles.
But we know the reality. We know this isn't a luxury we can afford. Our lives are still on the line, and it's our job to march for them — for our future, for our children's future, and the future of the generations to come. We must fight for the ideals America was founded on, for the promise of the American Dream, and for our place in shaping that dream.
And that is worth fighting for. A future where we can go to the movies or school without fear of being shot. Where we can live without the constant threat of climate disaster. Where we can afford a home and invest in our future — and in our children's future. A future where we can love who we love, start a family, and be who we truly are. A future with leaders who care about our jobs, our pay, our rights, and our lives — not the stock market, lobbyists, big corporations, or their own careers. And a future where our politics are free of vitriol, corruption, and violence, a future defined by decency and compassion, where the only arguments on Thanksgiving are over who gets to sit next to Grandma or who ate the last bit of mashed potatoes.
The task ahead is tall, the fight is difficult, but together, we can — and we will — make this future a reality. We will shape our future into what we want it to be.
Our resilience is our strength, and our pride lies in our determination to build the future we deserve — a future where safety, economic opportunity, and dignity are rights, not privileges. This is the legacy we're fighting to create, and it's one we'll continue to build, no matter the obstacles in our way.
And remember, you're not alone, organizations like March For Our Lives, Sunrise Movement, United We Dream Action, Gen-Z for Change, and others are here to hear you, fight for you, and march alongside you.
Ryan Barto is an activist, a CWA Local 1101 union member, and a former employee at March For Our Lives.
