by Tarsi Dunlop, Roosevelt Institute Campus Network
March 7, 2011
Though the statistics show Millennials are the least engaged generation, I see a number of promising trends both in the data, and from my own observations. What stories do you believe best illustrate the state of Millennial engagement in America? The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) recently released a series of reports portraying a concerning lack of civic engagement in the United States across age groups in a number of states. Personally, I am not surprised that the major findings suggest Millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, are the least involved across the numerous sectors of civic engagement. For example, the National Conference on Citizenship’s 2010 Issue Brief notes that Gen X and the Baby Boomers are more active in voting, non-electoral political activities, volunteering and working with neighbors on community problems. Yet, the 2010 Civic Health Assessment: Executive Summary mentions that “[Millennials] are volunteering at higher rates than Boomers did when they were the same age Millennials are now.” I find this a promising trend for the future, and I find in the course of my work that there are stories of Millennial engagement that add an entirely new component to this narrative. America’s Civic Health Index 2009: Civic Health in Hard Times report suggests that there are a number of reasons Millennials may not be as politically or civically engaged as other generations. Millennials may struggle to provide food or shelter to others in comparison to Boomers, perhaps due having to living at home with parents or in student housing because of the economy. Due to their high level of unemployment—nearly twice the national average—Millennials may have less access to disposable income and seem to be seeking opportunities to keep up or increase skill levels. Millennials responded more positively than other generations to many of the incentives suggested to increase civic engagement, specifically a voucher for college education. I find this indicative of a desire to find a balance between livelihood and public service that provides the backbone for an energetic citizenship. Despite the civic engagement numbers reported by NCoC, some Millennials are going above and beyond the standard definitions of civic engagement and examinations of their reasons prove illuminating. Two students I have met in the Chicago area embody this new brand of engagement and activism. Their work reveals a capacity and propensity for long-term engagement and problem solving – traits that Millennials could use to rebrand our generation. Michael Tracht, a University of Chicago student, recognized that the campus is surrounded by economically struggling neighborhoods: “When I was younger, I lived in a suburb of Cleveland, OH where economic conditions have been declining throughout my lifetime, but I had never seen such obvious poverty, and it was a bit shocking.” But, instead of burying his head in books, he put his education to good use. He put together a research team that is currently working on a recommendation to increase access to transportation, food, and credit in those neighborhoods around the university. Michael’s story represents a new style of youth participation, heavily focused on local involvement and direct policy change. I see something uplifting and hopeful in Michael’s response as a young person, he is not shying away from the reality, but he is also not content to simply volunteer once a week in that neighborhood. His vision is bigger; it is long-term. Like Michael, personal experiences motivated Vijay Singh in his work on education policy issues. His family tradition is to sacrifice everything to empower the next generation proved the ultimate inspiration. This guiding principle enabled Vijay’s mother to become one of the first women in India to earn a PhD in engineering; later his parents moved to the United States to raise their family. Vijay’s policy work revolves around making it easier for kids to succeed in school. One program would create a co-op program to give kids marketable job skills to help them earn money outside of school, where another would create free tutoring programs for at risk students. As Vijay prepares to graduate from Northwestern, he reflects on his family’s priorities: “my grandparents gave everything they had to make sure that down the line, their families would have so much more than they did.” His goal is to pay it forward to his entire community. Vijay’s approach to engagement, like Michael’s, is one of long-term commitment to a community and is indicative of the bright promise of this new generation. Vijay and Michael are both members of the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network, a national student policy organization that engages new generations in unique form of progressive activism that empowers them as leaders and promotes their ideas for change. “Roosevelt has provided me with the best avenues to have a long lasting impact on my community,” Vijay told me. 8000 members at 86 chapters nation-wide think the same way. When provided with the resources and opportunities, young people can create transformative change in their communities—a dynamic, effective form of civic engagement. As a long-time Roosevelt member, and now full time employee, I love my job because of how students talk to me about their work. They are on a perpetual high, whether they are working to implement urban gardens or develop community programs to reduce obesity rates in schools. Giving a platform for their voices and ideas is the epitome of empowerment and I fully embrace it each and every day. Vijay and Michael represent our best hope for a future of highly engaged citizens in a well-governed society. The definition of government by the people cannot simply be measured by large groups of citizens volunteering in communities, showing up to vote, or donating to charity; it should also be about ideas and implementation for long-term positive change. Groups of young people contributing in this avenue leave a legacy if and when they move in. Maintaining the strength of our civil society requires all types of characters and contributions. Millennials want to know their vision will outlast them. Discussion Questions: 1. How would such engagement and involvement be measured as civic engagement in indices such as the NCoC? Are there ways to foster and nurture such methods of involvement? 2. Is this a unique and rare opportunity to blend education with real world experience to build a stronger fabric for our democracy? 3. Are these stories best highlighted as the ultimate potential rather than a regular norm? If so, are we being realistic or selling ourselves short? _______ Tarsi Dunlop is a 2009 graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont and the Director of Operations at the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network.