Eyes on You Who is Generation Z? Independent. Diverse. Motivated. Competitive. Tech-Savvy. Just a few words to describe what makes up the powerful generation known as Gen Z. Born after the year 1996, Gen Z is a generation of social activists demanding their voices be heard. The group was raised in a world of unrest, with many only toddlers on 9/11 and young, impressionable children during the Great Recession of 2008. These historical events have likely impacted their families in large ways, which has in turn shaped Gen Z’s worldview. They grew up with the internet at their fingertips and are comfortable using technology for research, work and play. Being witness 46 VIM
to the birth of Big Tech, smartphones, and social media has also shaped this generation’s worldview— with Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram being favorites among the group. Gen Z is More Diverse
“Gen Z represents the leading edge of the country’s changing racial and ethnic makeup” (Pew Research Center 2020) and is the most diverse generation yet. This group is more likely to care about diversity, inclusion and representation. For Gen Z, representation goes beyond race. This generation, sometimes coined as “social justice warriors,” are standing up for feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, people with disabilities, survivors of sexual violence and more. Everyone deserves a seat at the table—and Gen Z believes
in amplifying those voices.
Gen Z is Well-Educated This generation is also on track to be the “besteducated” yet. Gen Z’ers are “less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to be enrolled in college” (Pew Research Center 2020). When entering the workforce, some describe Gen Z as more “cautious” and “practical” than previous generations, despite the economy improving since 2008 (Newsweek 2019). Job stability and work-life balance are high-ranking career goals. Gen Z Has Spending Power Gen Z’s spending power is over $140 billion (Business Insider 2020) and will continue to grow as the
