What Millennials and Gen Z Think About the Future

When you were 18, what were you concerned about?

If you’re of a certain age, my guess is that the demise of our planet and Artificial Intelligence taking over weren’t at the top of your list.

But for today’s youth, those are real concerns. And it impacts how they think about and prepare for the future.

In Part 2 of our series, Across the Generations, I sit down with a mother and daughter who are grappling in real time with these questions and more.

Amplify and Connect

18 year old Alex Jennings is a freshman at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She’s pursuing a degree in Visual Design, while wondering if AI will make her skillset obsolete before she even graduates.

Her mom, Karen Walrond, is making a return appearance on Our Voices Matter to engage in this important conversation with her daughter. What are Karen’s hopes and fears for Alex as she prepares for adulthood in an increasingly uncertain world?

Karen is a badass, modern day renaissance woman whose new book, Radiant Rebellion, will be out later this year.

The point of having conversations like this is two-fold: 1) to amplify the voices of Millennials and Gen Z who are often ignored, underestimated and misunderstood, and 2) to learn from each other and celebrate what connects us across generations.

Three Words

Environment. Economy. Empathy. These 3 words play a prominent role in our conversation — as do three words I ask both Alex and Karen to share when thinking about the future.

What are your three words?

Whatever they are, my hope is that this conversation enlightens your perspective and encourages you to talk — and most important — listen — to those in your life of a different generation.

There is so much for us to learn from each other. And together, we can tackle and solve the challenges that lie before us.

Support the show