I’m working on a power list for South Jersey – I’m reading through a lot of reviews and previously written power lists – and hopefully will have that posted on the blog within the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for that!

Since I’ve been doing some research on this topic of power, I’ve become more and more intrigued with it, especially in New Jersey and even more so with the southern Democrats.  I’ve found myself in many experiences where notions about “the next generation” are mentioned; this is obviously because I’m young and it’s to attribute that notion to me, but it’s also a great sound bite for those already in power that want to maintain their authority.  This is off-putting for a few reasons, and I’d really like to direct this those in power positions already (public office or otherwise) throughout South Jersey.

Let me just start off by saying that if you’ve been following the news in any fashion since the Marjory Stoneman Douglass school shooting, you’ll know that young people are no longer wading in political waters; they’ve dived in headfirst.  Of course, this is stemming mainly from Generation Z and I’m a part of the Millennial generation, but I’m still looked at most of the time as an up-and-coming-young-leader blah blah blah.  At this point in our political climate, there’s no need to look at Millennials and Gen Z’ers as future leaders; we need to start being groomed now and speaking with those in power now who will need to step aside in the next few years.

I saw an interesting Twitter thread that essentially summed up the reason that we’re seeing so much activism in younger generations today that I thought was hilarious, relatable, and super on point:

You watched a generation grow up on a diet of Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Marvel movies, you stripped away their hope, their jobs, their futures, and then backed the most cartoonish super-villain in history for President, and you’re shocked the children are fighting back?

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) February 21, 2018

Get them, children. Leave no one standing.

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) February 21, 2018

 

This couldn’t be truer.  After two decades of people telling me that I would one day be a great leader and told that my generation was the future, I’m finally here and it seems like a lot of you all are surprised.  It’s even more frustrating to feel confident enough to take chances in a political career or in a leadership position and it’s brushed off as “entitlement” because I’m taking the reigns of my life at an earlier age than my parents did; and we’re looked down upon as not knowing enough.  My only question to those who would think I’m not ready to step into a leadership position or run for public office is this: why were the age limits for those positions made so low?  I only have to be eighteen years old to run for almost any local seat in the state: city council, mayor, committee (the list goes on); only twenty-one to run for Assembly and thirty for Senate or Governor. 

Say what you will, but my generation and the generation after me are shortening the fuse day by day on older leaders who held their power for a good amount of time.  Now, I’ll also qualify this in saying that I think there are plenty of older leaders who have done amazing and wonderful things for their communities; these are not the leaders who need to leave their seats any time soon.  I will say that those good older leaders should also be looking for mentees, and my generation – those who have the goals and aspirations of public leadership – should be seeking these folks out as mentors.  For those folks who have done little good for (and perhaps even harm to) their communities, you should find the closest exit quietly and quickly because the Children are coming for the change you said they would bring – and I mean this about both Republicans and Democrats.