Smash Notes
The story we tell about millennials -- and who we leave out | Reniqua Allen
Millennials are now the largest, most diverse adult population in the US -- but far too often, they're reduced to the worn-out stereotype of lazy, entitled avocado toast lovers, says author Reniqua Allen. In this revealing talk, she shares overlooked stories of millennials of color, offering a broader, more nuanced view of the generation. "Millennials are…
People
Notes
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On TED Talks Daily, Reniqua Allen describes Troy, a young man who looks like the millennial of a think piece: arrogant, self-centered, and sure he is smarter than people credit, talking about girls, sneakers, and cars. His mannerisms, she says, tell a different story. They show someone scared, troubled, and unsure of the future. Troy had caddied at a country club where members ignored him, sold sneakers on Facebook, and sold candy and water, without earning enough to help his Jamaican immigrant mother or save for a car. He turned to selling drugs, got caught, and told Allen he wanted stability and a good life, then got greedy. He was still trying to find a next step.
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Reniqua Allen says on TED Talks Daily that the surface picture of a millennial is the one think pieces already know. She uses Troy as the example. On the surface he is arrogant, self-centered, and convinced he is smarter than people give him credit for. His favorite topics are girls, sneakers, and cars, which she says is no surprise for someone who was a teenager a few years earlier. Allen's point is that the portrait stops there, while Troy's mannerisms show fear and uncertainty, and his actual jobs, caddying, selling sneakers on Facebook, and selling candy and water, never paid enough to help his mother or buy a car.
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Some qualities include an entrepreneurial spirit, an independent streaks, and dedication to their parents. They believe in hard work and have tried different gigs in economies, but haven’t had luck. So, they still dance between both worlds.
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In a country where money equals power, quick money only gives young men and women a sense of control over their lives for a little while.
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Millennials are always told that they can be whatever they want to be if they work hard, but no one sits down to listen to their dreams or struggles. We need to listen in order to have a healthy and civil society moving forward.
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One positive step is that 84% of young millennials were taught by their families that everyone should be equal. Yet, only 37% of that group talk about race within their families.
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They should be shared in a multitude of ways. One is by a range of voices that talk about diverse nuance topics that should be listened to. Reniqua states this is not just including America, but all around the world since millennials make up 27% of the world’s population.
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It’s the stories that are quieter and more subtle that often reveal the unique and untold stories of black millennials that show how dreaming may differ between communities.
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All millennials of color need to be told and listened to in order to be a better off country and world. As the baby boomers age, the millennials come to prominence. Leaving out voices of millennials will only increase division.
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