Gen Z How a Generation Defined a Pandemic

do you remember the last time

someone paid you a genuine wholly

disinterested compliment

perhaps someone liked your outfit or

your hair

or even praised your radiant smile

picture that time put yourself back

in the exact place at that exact moment

how did it make you feel probably really

good right

and warm inside well i’d hope so

now that feeling

that is a sense of recognition and

belonging

we get from just existing in and being

part

of a community it is those actions

especially the small effortless ones

that make us feel confident and

empowered

in our common space so i’m going to talk

about

that feeling that strong sense of

community

that is important in our everyday lives

but going further than that i’m going to

ask

whether you are active members in your

communities

making an impact and cultivating the

world

that we will face tomorrow and beyond

because especially for us gen z

wouldn’t you want to take the power into

your own hands

to shape the spaces we are going to

inhabit

i think we would all agree that a strong

sense of community

is a vital aspect of modern life

and an essential component in human

flourishing

not in the sense that we are forced to

live with and around other people

but that human interaction is an

integral even

primal aspect of our existence

and for the most part we are far better

off

for it studying philosophy and theology

has made me quite attuned to this

whether it be considering the

inextricable connection

of religious experiences in community as

proposed by durkheim

or the centrality of community in

society

seen in the polis as articulated by

aristotle

in his politics he writes one citizen

differs from another but the salvation

of the community is the common business

of them all

in both aristotle and durkheim arguably

two of the greatest

and most influential thinkers of their

times

community is the central philosophical

and sociological tenet

clearly then it is something which is

deeply rooted in our intellectual

traditions

and more fundamentally our human nature

personally i really don’t know if i

would have made it through the

physically

and emotionally draining events of this

year if it had not been for those

around me even in a virtual sense

we have all been through some really

tough moments

in these last few months and that has

particularly affected those in my

generation

coronavirus and the imposed lockdowns

have made us feel collectively estranged

helpless and a bit disorientated

a recent uk-based survey by the mental

health foundation

shows that young people are almost three

times more likely

to experience loneliness since lockdown

beyond the global pandemic the black

lives matter movement

has reminded us that human life is a

right

that some of us are still having to

demand

even in the year 2020 whilst the end

sales movement in nigeria

shows that just humane treatment

is still being denied to those from

certain communities

we don’t usually mention community in

our day-to-day lives

even though we are constantly partaking

in it

but for most the recent removal of this

tangible sense of belonging

has revealed how important it is in

making us feel

safe and rooted and purposeful

although it is hard to see there is hope

among the events that have occurred over

these last few months

that being the revelation of how

vivifying

rejuvenating and even in some cases

redemptive

this sense of community can actually be

despite ostensible indications to the

country

we hold the power to shape how our

community looks

and by transforming meetings and

gatherings online

we can find and have found

ways to engage and be around others

without that physical aspect

whilst physical intimacy might have been

lacking during lockdown

emotional and intellectual intimacy

was there in abundance

and so with this i see my two favorite

african proverbs collide

it takes a village to raise a child and

sticks in a bundle

are unbreakable

i was always told the first one was

growing up especially by my mum

it reminded me that my development was

only aided by those around me

helping to build me up perhaps that’s

why i care so deeply about this topic

the second one i’ve grown fond of more

recently

it’s a bittersweet reminder of our

vulnerability alone

but collective strength together

it even reminds me of the impetus of us

as a generation

like the sticks we are bundled together

by passion

and care for important causes and we are

unbreakable

in what we do likewise

the biblical phrase from ecclesiastes a

three-fold chord is not

easily broken conveys exactly the same

powerful humanistic message

we’ve established the importance of

community

and how it is both integral and

essential to our lives

but we need to ask ourselves whether we

are active agents in our community

why should i even care about this you

may ask and i can only agree with

aristotle

in saying that the salvation of our

community is the common business

of us all as the english metaphysical

poet john dunn said

i am involved in mankind

consider the compliment example i

brought up at the start of this talk

that shows us how very small seemingly

trivial actions

can have a meaningful impact on others

i don’t know about you but when i get

paid compliments it totally brightens up

my day

making me much nicer to those around me

ultimately though i become more aware

of and involved in my surroundings

we can go further than compliments

though

for me the most impactful scheme i’ve

been privileged to be a part of

is called leaders of tomorrow it’s a

small

grassroots mental scheme for teenagers

based in peckham south london

it encourages us black students from

lower income backgrounds

to raise our academic level of

achievement and fulfill our potential

whatever that might be

when i was there the weekly sessions had

a vocabulary slot

the rationale being to broaden our grasp

and love of the english language so that

we could articulate our thoughts better

we went on regular trips to museums art

galleries and theaters

in order to expand our cultural and

artistic horizons

beyond the confines of se15

and we were wholly encouraged to try our

best

at everything we did

the volunteers that helped us came every

tuesday

they came with their energy care and

enthusiasm

and they helped us become better

versions of ourselves

now if it wasn’t for them turning up

every week

rain or shine and nurturing our

potential

i wouldn’t know half of the historical

facts

or references to literature that i do

now i wouldn’t have been

inspired by the creative industries and

the arts

from watching a myriad of performances

in the west end

i wouldn’t now be studying at oxford

university where the mentors encouraged

me to apply

because of my academic potential but

most

importantly i would not be confident

enough

to believe in my own ideas and

self-worth

and be able to stand here today talking

to you

from a ted stage

but this newfound confidence buttressed

by the sense of community

i had from the volunteers who always

came back

week in week out has incredibly

shaped my life and will continue to do

so

the train ride they took to mentor us

every week was the difference in my life

story

really think about that whatever you

decide to do

even if it is seemingly small can have

an

extraordinary impact on those in your

community

so what will you choose to do to help

others around you

and if you are already being active how

far is it

as aristotle puts for the salvation

of your community

for me i’m now involved in the blackhead

students network

a group of current and previous young

blackhead boys and girls in the uk

as a vice chair of the network we

encourage black students from our

communities

to expand their mindset develop their

leadership

and become the change makers of tomorrow

hearing stories of our members gaining

successful offers for work internships

we’ve helped them apply to or excelling

in interviews we help them practice for

is a truly fulfilling feeling

when i advise them on personal

statements written for university

applications

which mainly takes less than an hour out

of my day

i often forget that their implementation

of my feedback

could be the difference in their

university acceptances

that small change completely

alters their life journey

but this isn’t about just me

this is about gen z and our impact

because what is most humbling about the

network is seeing our members becoming

active agents in their own communities

some have created schemes to help those

in need locally or abroad

others use online activism to push their

peers

humanitarian awareness further and

others use creative outlets

to engage the community whether that be

through podcasting or blogging

the network is thriving with change

makers

but as a generation we can

and must push harder

writing from the university of

california jonathan london

posits why have the realizations that

youth and community development are

inextricably linked

that youth are essential partners in

community building

and that community building can provide

developmental opportunities for youth

not been enough to make linking the two

common practices

in other words even if we have come to

learn that young people

gen z are the key for a thriving

community

where is the implementation

is it because we think we are too young

too impressionable too

helpless well i hope not because we can

add value no matter our age

and as i hope i have shown you it

doesn’t need to be a big thing

to make such a monumental impact on

someone’s life

or community group as a whole as the

saying

goes a small stone cast can make the

biggest ripple

so you don’t have to run a marathon

create a charity

or save the planet be realistic

and make it work for you

because when all is said and done only

we know what the problems are on the

ground for us

so really only we can use our voices

to meaningfully attempt to fix it

and if we all do this we can make a

groundbreaking change

after all sticks in a bundle are

unbreakable

so i ask you listeners gen z or

otherwise

what will be the steps you will take

to be an active agent in your community

because imagine how great your actions

no matter how small

can affect change

as you know i have a love of african

proverbs so

i’ll leave you with this last one it’s

the philosophical

south african concept of ubuntu

a concept of togetherness and shared

humanity so the next time you paid a

compliment

or even give one remember

remember how good it feels to be part of

a thriving community

remember how our effortless actions can

create so many positive reactions

remember that if we strive together

to be the change makers of tomorrow we

can gradually push

for the salvation of all our communities

[Applause]