The Generation of Potential

“What you do this day will have an impact on children yet unborn.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message to the youth arrested at Birmingham

In April of 1963, thousands of youth marched down the streets of Birmingham, Alabama to take part in the Birmingham Children's Crusade. In what became a major turning point in the Civil Right's Movement, wave after wave of children peacefully walked through the streets in an effort to desegregate Birmingham schools, even as city officials turned fire hoses and police dogs on them. Because multiple news stations covered this story, the relatively recent popularity boom in television opened the eyes of the rest of America. Change needed to be made.

Modern technology has exponentially expanded the potential impact youth can have. Social media and finger-tip access to the internet means that we are constantly being fed more information. These tools are powerful and an energized, invigorated youth is what we need to take advantage of them. Across the country and the globe, innovate youth are connecting with each other to make huge positive change. Still, it is important to note, for youth activism to be effective, it must be self-motivated. The participants in the Children's Crusade were not forced to participate; instead, they volunteered to support an issue that affected them personally. Rookie Magazine wrote an article in 2011 talking about four outstanding teenage activists. One of the activists, Alya El Hosseiny, was the first girl to use the Twitter hash tag #jan25. This hash tag soon became the information central for the series of protests that would lead to the Egyptian Revolution. The purpose of the Egyptian Revolution was to end "the corrupt and abusive regime of President Hosni Mubarak, who had ruled for 30 years, and it succeeded...". Another girl, Anrenkia "Red" Booker said, "Never be quiet about an issue that is affecting you and the people around you. Also, remember that you are the future!"

The phenomenon of the "teenager" is a fairly new concept: up until about the 1950's, the teenage culture did not exist. People simply went from being "children" to "adults". In the post- World War II era, as our country experienced great economic prosperity, teenagers were able to really impact cultural trends and fads for the first time in history. The "teenage" years are really an extra cushion decade that allows us lucky ones to explore the world, broaden our horizons, and gain knowledge without having to face the responsibilities of an adult. Specifically, this is an extra 10 years we have been given as youth to make a difference in the world, without worrying about losing our jobs or supporting our families (although, not to undermine the countless teenagers in the U.S. and around the world who contribute greatly to familial stability in difficult situations). This is our time to act and change the world we will inherit for the better. Youth service and activism starts at home. Encourage a young person in your life to make a difference today. And, if you are a teenager, gather some of your friends  and (as they say) "Let's do this!".


*This was floating around the internet. Not sure who to cite as the source but it is a remarkable poem.*