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Something I hear often as a young person interested in community service goes something like “oh gosh everything is so messed up, it’s up to you young people to fix everything!”
It’s a well-intentioned phrase meant to express optimism about the prospects of young people and our effect on the world, but I worry too that this mindset absolves the current generations in power of the responsibility to better our country.
I’ve spent the last couple of years involved in efforts to get middle and high-schoolers interested and engaged in the conversations, debates and legislative work going on in their cities and state. When talking to older generations, I’ve encountered tremendous support, generosity and enthusiasm at the thought of hearing from young people about issues that they are facing and perspectives they wish to share on hot-button issues. Students have changed city ordinance to clean up their water supply, pushed corporations to update standards on employees with disabilities and passed statewide legislation mandating fentanyl-overdose-prevention training in schools. This generation is paying attention to the world’s problems, and we’re already moving to fix the problems that we see.
There are roadblocks for sure. I remember sitting in a Wisconsin congressman’s office — there to lobby for civic education funding — and getting lectured on the importance of joining the military, starting a business and aging 30 years before even thinking about the government. When I signed up to knock doors on behalf of local school board members I was laughed at, insulted, threatened and spit on. I volunteered for more shifts. If there’s one thing that this generation resents, it’s being told we aren’t ready.
That’s why it’s encouraging to hear when older generations are excited to get young people in the room. Something that’s often forgotten is that for the “passing of the torch” to be effective, practice is necessary.
The United States Olympic relay team struggled to win gold in the 2000s and 2010s because they assumed all they had to do was put the four fastest runners in a race together. The 21st century for them was a history of repeated blunders and unforced errors. Not because they weren’t fast, but because they struggled to pass the baton. Too early, too late and missing the handoff entirely meant that having the best people was meaningless. Our uniquely American trust in the ability to win blinded us to the concrete, real steps we needed to take to get there.
