On Saturday, April 5, protests erupted nationwide. Drawing crowds in countless cities and towns across the U.S., protesters gathered to speak out about the actions of and policies championed by the Republican party, President Donald Trump and head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk.
Hands Off! is the latest of a storied history of American activism, and like so many protests before and so many to come, college students showed up in droves to make their voices heard.
Despite the childhood reputation of Tide Pod snacking and endless hours spent in front of the screen, Gen Z is coming of age and becoming known for their empathetic perspectives, penchant for thinking of themselves as citizens of the world and bold activism.
While the first things to come to mind when thinking of activism may be demonstrations and protests, activism comes in many forms. Strikes, boycotts, civil disobedience, protest art—and more recently—online campaigns, have a storied history as the most popular forms of activism.
Protests have displayed strength in numbers: they’ve won us our labor rights, there’s a reason boycotters take to heart the saying “put your money where your mouth is.” Protest art uses entertainment to send a message to fans and onlookers.
Civil disobedience has had a place in every major movement at many levels, from the suffragettes voting to Rosa Parks’ time in the front of the bus, to online campaigns that use popular platforms in a world connected digitally to uplift the images and voices of those impacted by injustice.
Activist movements can be borne of any number of causes. Most often the issues at hand have to do with concerns around war, climate change, human rights and inequality. In recent years, activism in the U.S. has focused on injustices against people of color, injustices against the LGBTQ+ community, the treatment of undocumented immigrants, acts of war, government mishandling of the pandemic, aggressive policing, gun violence, sexual violence and economic inequality. Fifty percent of Gen Zers express fear and anxiety around what the future holds.
As Gen Z have come of age we made our voices heard. Based on a study by Statista in 2023, about 15% of GenZers polled say they’ve attended a rally or demonstration, with only 8% of Millennials and Gen Xers reporting to have participated in a rally. Additionally, about 30% of Gen Zers say they would volunteer for a group or cause.
Although the key purpose of activism is to uplift a cause or message, activism has many benefits past making your voice heard. By attending events and connecting in your community and online, you can connect with like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds giving you insight into other peoples’ stories. Choosing to attend events can open your eyes to issues, causes and resources you may have otherwise been unaware of.
Researching topics relevant to the cause or concern you have can build media literacy skills and give historical and cultural context to events and issues. Getting involved with community outreach can teach new skills and build relationship skills.
Not everyone can attend rallies and protests, but anyone can be an activist. Staying up-to-date on what’s happening in your community and the world, practicing good media literacy, and speaking up in situations where you’re witnessing oppression are all behaviors that can have a wide-reaching effect. There are many ways to make your voice heard no matter your age or background.
Categories: Opinion, Staff Editorials
