4 Ways To Stand With Gen Z

We’re living through political turmoil like we’ve never seen. It’s scary as hell. We’re all drawing on our experience, our community, our resilience to fight and get through each day.

But what about the young people? How are they experiencing this change, with nothing to compare it to? How can we help them make sense of all this? And what do we owe them and their future? We serve this next generation and here’s what we’re hearing they need right now.

How does Gen Z feel right now?

Like the rest of us, young people are sharply polarized. They’re also really, really cynical. They passionately want effective government, but don’t think anything can change. Only 15% of people under 30 said they trust the president or either party. They’re tired of not being represented, and of all the power held by older people. No wonder they report the lowest levels of patriotism of any generation, by far.

They’re also vulnerable: Several studies show that Gen Z is really susceptible to political disinformation. Meanwhile, this generation has seen a whole lot of trauma and very little unity. They’ve lived through the Great Recession, the birth of social media and its algorithms, and COVID. But they don’t have an occasion to remember the country coming together as one. Nearly 1 in 3 young people feel no strong sense of belonging or are still searching for it.

And they’re struggling financially. A lot. More than 4 in 10 Americans under 30 say they’re barely getting by. Only 16% of young people without college degrees say they’re doing well. They’re even deciding not to have kids because they’re worried about everything from their finances to climate change.

So. That’s a lot. No wonder young people care more about issues than political parties. This pragmatism may be why many self-described “liberal” men voted red in 2024. And it may also explain why they’re currently giving the administration a very low approval rating. Gen Z doesn’t care as much about “red” or “blue” as it does real life.

4 ways to connect with young people politically

1. Show them what you’re doing.

This is where the role model effect comes in. Study after study shows that young people learn actions from the people they look up to and who look like them. Invite a young person to take political action with you. Share what you’re doing on social media. Bring it up regularly.

You’re not just modeling action, but also resilience, resourcefulness, and optimism. Persisting at the smaller, everyday acts of community engagement and political resistance can be a revelation for someone who might be prone to thinking in all-or-nothing terms.

You can also encourage leadership. Local civic activities are notorious for being inaccessible to young people, and only partly because they’re deadly boring. You can bring that up and try to problem-solve the lack of representation together: This generation also strives to be role models for their peers.

2. Share your authentic truth.

You’ve lived through history that they haven’t. It can really help to hear an older person say that things have changed, because then they can change.

It also helps to hear personal stories. So talk about your fears. Talk about how you might be affected personally, how you think they might be affected, why you’re worried about others.

3. Talk about where they get their info.

Ask them: Who do they trust and why? This can be a conversation: Have they seen something go viral that wasn’t true? How did they learn about it? Would they correct bad info if they saw it on their feed? The National Youth Leadership Council has some good tips for talking about disinformation.

4. Get over generational divides, and listen.

They’re not going to engage the way you would engage. They might find protests performative and prefer online activism. They’ll probably be sarcastic (which is honestly a delight). While you look for experience in a politician, they might look for vibes and strong action.

Or they might not want to talk about it. They might feel too hopeless, or need to prioritize their mental health. They might need to hear what their peers think before they decide to engage. All of that’s okay. You’re still there to answer questions when they come up.

Because what we really owe this generation is hope. And that comes with talking about what’s gone before, modeling what’s possible, and showing them that they’re valued. If you have a young person in your life, a simple check-in and connection can go a long way. We can’t wave a wand and make this nation sane right away, but we can do this much.