Zellenial: (noun) A group of people who are neither completely millennials or generation Z. They were born at the time where one generation ends and another begins and/or their upbringing is partly millennial-like and partly generation Z-like. They cannot completely identify as being part of a single generation and feel somewhat lost.

A cornerstone of the zellenial experience is advocacy and standing up for what we believe in, whether it is through donations, education, or joining an organization. At the same time, the feeling of hopelessness is unreal. So many children are tied to their parents. So many people are restrained by governments, health, and financial abilities. We are not taken seriously due to age. Our passions are seen as trends; fleeting, impossible to pin down. Politicians will not take us seriously because many of these problems do not impact them directly.

Today, a lot of activism takes place on a local scale; school clubs, small grassroots organizations, etc. But there is one form of activism that many have adopted that can educate millions across the globe: social media activism.

This new wave of activism may seem minor, unhelpful, and overall a waste of time, but when most of our networking, education, and entertainment occurs on the internet, there is so much potential.

Virtual activism has the power to draw attention to topics that are often ignored, like censorship. For example, on Hasan Minhaj’s comedy show, “Patriot Act,” he openly spoke about Saudi Arabia’s government and its flaws. Due to the popularity of the show, and its power to reach and influence mass audiences, the episode ended up being blocked in KSA, but ultimately led to the show’s cancellation.

For example, in early 2020, when the brutal murder of George Floyd went viral, people compared policies, educated themselves on racism and police brutality, and did not lay off until the officers involved were convicted for their crimes.

Social media and the internet are the newest tools used to advocate for social justice, to pressure the adults to actually take them seriously, to educate, and to help work towards a solution for a brighter tomorrow. This is how we are taken seriously, how we will move mountains, and how we will do anything we can to ensure that we are actually able to reach our desired future.