Throughout my college education, I’m learning that college isn’t only about the books. Some places transform people, and college is one of those places. A college campus can serve many purposes — a place for education, a place where relationships form and a place where life-changing events occur.
A college campus is also a place where students can connect with other like-minded individuals and bond over shared interests and similar beliefs. Much of my generation, Gen Z, is currently in college. For many of us, we’re transitioning into adulthood. We are figuring out how we fit into the world after adolescence. We are getting to know ourselves, and we are building on or breaking down our core values. It’s the first time in our lives that we hold some power in decisions that impact our future.
This generation takes certain approaches to community building.
My fellow Atlanta Way 2.0 and SaportaReport intern, Gabi Hart, and I recently had the opportunity to interview Munir Meghjani, one of the board members for Atlanta Way 2.0.
Meghjani is in a unique place in his life because he works with both the generation before and after his own in his professional and civic life. He shared some great insight into what our generation is shaping to become and the impact he feels his peers have made.
Meghjani feels that each generation’s beliefs and values are built on the generations before them. For example, he discussed the importance of how people speak about mental health and therapy. As a society, we’ve become more accepting of therapy as time goes on.
While it’s not uncommon for millennials to go to therapy now, many are somewhat hesitant to talk about it due to stigma. Millennials are often referred to as the “therapy generation” because they have sought out mental health support, and they talk about it more openly than previous generations. This new trend has allowed Gen Z to be more open. My generation takes this approach to many other social concepts and ideas, like civil rights, gun violence and regulation. These views are spread even faster worldwide through the newfound surge of social media.
How my generation has taken on activism is truly remarkable. Social media has made us all the more connected. Social media allows information to be spread across a wide platform of people, letting others know what’s going on in other parts of the world. It’s been used to take a stand and protest, specifically during the COVID-19 quarantine and the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020.
We’re seeing social media emerge as a new form of journalism. It’s where more and more people are beginning to get their news on current events. Do you consider social media influencers to be journalists? Is this a valid platform in your opinion?
With this in mind, I turned to social media to ask my peers in my generation their thoughts on community building and organizing where they live. I wanted to know what drew them to specific organizations in their communities and on campuses and what led to them getting involved.
Many of their answers included whether the organization’s values aligned with their own or if the group was passionate about the same issues or interests as they were. They noted diversity, whether the group represented or was inclusive to people who looked like them. They wanted to ensure the group offered opportunities to connect and build community with the people around them.
I dug deeper with another question. Some of my peers run on-campus clubs and organizations. I wanted to know their strategies for engaging their peers and classmates with their events and making them eager to participate. Students noted that they try their hardest to make events seem appealing and entertaining while ensuring they align with the organization’s agenda and goals. They try to make people feel like they’re working toward something substantial and productive, rather than sitting around wasting time.
As time passes, I think my generation will play a massive role in the future of our world. We’ll continue to build off the generations that came before us, making an even greater impact in our society. Tools like social media are a helpful way to keep people engaged and inspire community building.
Returning to our interview with Meghjani, we asked him about what gave him hope surrounding Atlanta’s future. He finds hope among the youth in our city.
“People going out and taking the time, energy, and effort to fight for good gives me hope,” Meghjani said.
College students and members of Gen Z are the next voices that have the power to make changes in our society. Continuing to work together, forming connections, and using our collective voice for good will ensure greater change in the world.
This summer, Atlanta Way 2.0 and SaportaReport are partnering on an initiative to strengthen the civic fabric of greater Atlanta through journalism. We have two amazing PIN interns who will share their journey in our weekly column.
