by Kari Dunn Saratovsky on 10 Oct 2008
As this post goes live, Alex Steed -- a straight talkin’ millennial, frustrated by the way his generation is perceived by the media -- is setting off on a 30 day cross country trip. Who does he want to meet? Social citizens like you. If he hasn’t already found you on couchsurfing.com or Craigslist – it’s not too late to find him. You can keep up to speed on Alex’s journey here on Social Citizens and through video and blog posts along the way. Without further adieu…here’s Alex.
This is the first day of the Millennials Changing America Tour. The journey across the United States will bring me face to face with young activists who are tapping into technology to help create social change. I'll be posting my findings here and on a series of other blogs along the way. I am extremely grateful to the Case Foundation, which has partnered with the tour by offering to match the first $5,000 in person-to-person support we get on our website. So many thanks to them.
I'm doing this because I've heard a lot said at conferences and written in blog posts about how this millennial generation engages, and a lot of it sounds familiar, as it is commentary on my life. At 25, I am a millennial (a "cold millennial," as us older ones are called) and I decided that after hearing and reading all of this talk, that it was important to me (and for those who are commenting on the subject), to know the opinion, outlook, and testimony of the millennials themselves.
The tour is non-partisan, and the only agenda that's behind it is giving my generation it's own, diverse voice that can exist outside of the echo-chambers of conference halls and comment sections on blogs. I care to show the world how my generation, in its own words, is engaging civically, socially, and politically, in ways that young people couldn't have dreamed of doing even five years ago. I look forward to spreading the word, meeting endlessly inspiring young people, not-breaking-down along the way, and hearing your input and feedback. If you care to contribute in any way, or just to be in touch, please feel free to drop me an email, or visit our site here.
I hope to see you on the road!
