On Jan. 21, one day after the inauguration of Donald Trump, over a million Americans gathered at Women’s Marches in major cities nationwide. A healthy percentage of that group belonged to Generation Z. Activists by nature, this group of children, tweens and teens were some of the most vocal and motivated attendees of the Women’s March.
Generation Z currently makes up over one-quarter of the American population and is the first generation to be born into a world of 24/7 digital information. Gen Z grew up processing, creating and sharing content on the go, at all times of the day, and it’s only natural for their activism to reflect that mindset.
Hoping to capture their spirit and energy while speaking to their natural strengths, we sent our Hatch teen, Declan, 14, out with his phone’s camera to capture the voices of Gen Z as they made history and paved the path for their future. These kids woke up at the crack of dawn to catch a bus down to Washington, D.C., from New York that Saturday morning — not an easy feat for most middle and high schoolers. We wanted to know what was driving this unique group of kids to go out and make a change — and their responses were profound.
“We are here, we are fighting for what we believe, and we will not be quiet if Donald Trump tries to take away our rights,” said one teen, echoing the thoughts of so many. These kids want to be heard, and they want to be heard now. They are taking their future into their own hands because they can and they care. We may be veering into unknown territory, but one thing is sure: When it’s their time, Gen Z is ready to take the wheel.
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