Hey, fellow Millennials. This message is for you.

Did you know? The average age of representatives, senators, governors, and mayors is 58 years old, while judges at the federal, state, and county levels average 69 years old. Some members of Congress are even in their 90s.

The United States government at every level — local, county, state, and federal — is overwhelmingly run by older generations.

While experience is valuable, a government that fails to represent the age diversity of its population risks becoming disconnected from the issues affecting younger generations.

Did you know? The U.S. Constitution states that in order for a candidate to be qualified to run for President of the United States, you must:

• Be a natural-born citizen of the United States
• Be at least 35 years old
• Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years

Anyone who meets these requirements can declare their candidacy for president. Literally, that’s it. You raise like $5,000, register with the Federal Election Commission, name a Principal Campaign Committee, and you’re on your way to the ballot for the White House. That’s all it takes.

As you know, we represent the age bracket of adults who were born between 1981 and 1996 — so, we’re as young as 28 and as old as 44.

We are a generation shaped by technological advancements, economic turbulence, and an evolving social landscape. We are leaders in business, technology, education, activism, and countless other fields — so, why aren’t more of us running for public office?

The answer isn’t that we’re incapable, but rather, we have a collective level of self-doubt and lack of encouragement. We’ve essentially gaslit ourselves into believing we can’t — we aren’t worthy — we aren’t intelligent enough — we aren’t experienced enough — we aren’t ENOUGH.

I am not going to hold your hand when I say this, but rather…

I’m here to remind YOU of WHO you ARE.

Listen, the last five years have felt like a fever dream for ALL of us.

Some of us have lost siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, friends, neighbors, partners, and even children to illness, disease, accidents, suicide, drug addiction, gun violence, or worse.

Many of us have felt the permanent sting of childhood trauma, substance abuse, losing loved ones, losing jobs or shuttering businesses, losing our beloved pets, miscarriages and infertility, long COVID, living paycheck to paycheck, couch surfing or having to move back in with parents to make ends meet, and even permanent disability.

We went from trying to get our sh*t together in the aftermath of the recession — to dealing with the deaths of our aging loved ones, raising children when gun violence is more prevalent than ever before, struggling with rising costs of everything from groceries to daycare, and the ever growing upside down fiasco in public health, safety, and government.

Together, we have been through it, honey.

I know, I’ve been through it myself. I know that pain. I know that endless heartache. I know that sting of self-doubt and the internal rationalization for it. I know it maybe better than most. I, too, am hurt and healing.

You need to know that you are not alone.

Many of us have shared the same experiences. We may have walked different paths or grew up in different communities, but we have all shared the same American experience, culture, and dream. Don’t take my word for it — take a scroll on any social media platform to see the similarities.

Many of us played “house” with Barbies and Legos or played a game of Bop It! We rode our bikes around the neighborhood and drank cool water from the hose on a hot summer day. We chatted up strangers on AIM and blogged about our lives on Xanga and LiveJournal.

Many of us obsessed over the “feud” between NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, or favored Britney Spears over Christina Aguilera. We angrily (and silently) played an Eminem song on our Sony Walkman in revolt against school or our parents while leaning our heads against the ice-cold bus window.

Many of us have made a childhood comfort food when we’ve felt hungry, but too overwhelmed from the stresses of the day. We’ve found comfort in a warm mug of hot chocolate, or curled up on the couch to watch our favorite episodes of Game of Thrones. We’ve had to experiment with recipes for Thanksgiving dinner or nod in agreement when a distant relative asks if you’re enjoying your bland bite of their gelatin salad.

Many of us have a family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor we keep at arm’s length to avoid conflict, but still have to get along with. We’ve played nice with people who would otherwise backstab us at the first chance or seek out a reaction when they say something awful towards us.

Many of us have a loved one or know someone who is struggling with mental health instability, alcoholism, financial issues, or substance abuse. Some of us have had to care for aging parents, grandparents, or disabled family members. Some of us have comforted the cries of a newborn, realizing there is no limit to what we would do to shield them from harm.

Many of us watched the news in shock and confusion when the Flight 175 struck the South Tower of the World Trade Centers. The youngest amongst us would’ve been too young to understand what happened, but the oldest amongst us would’ve had their worldview rocked as a college student. Some of us would ultimately join the fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of us would tour once or twice… some of us would never come home.

Many of us have had to set aside our hopes and aspirations for the future in the never-ending turmoil of one major life event after another.

In many ways, we are a group of like-minded individuals. We share the same belief systems, habits, interests, and hobbies… even though, politically, we may have found ourselves on opposite sides of the fence in adulthood — if only because of older generations pushed the rhetoric that such a division is necessary.

We have grown up and grown apart as we have grown older — a symptom of aging that ever generation must endure… but this time feels different.

It’s so easy to believe that our neighbors couldn’t possibly understand what it’s like to walk a mile in our shoes… and sure, there are those who may not know your strife today, but in due time, everyone has a moment that takes them beyond the point of no return — changing who they are forever.

Such changes are a natural progression of life.

We may not be able to control the future, but we can control how we react to it. The actions we take together can set ourselves (and our children) up for a better future than we’ve inherited… or it can be worse.

We must do what we can to preserve such a future, together.

We have the power to make meaningful, lasting change.

Here’s the truth: there are people currently holding office with far fewer qualifications and skills than many of us Millennials possess. If you care about the future of your community, you are qualified to run.

We ARE the age range for leadership in this country.

We CAN and SHOULD be running for offices across the country.

Some of us are already taking the lead, like Representative Summer Lee (born in 1987) or Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but they are apart of a minority group in the 119th Congress.

As of January 3, 2025, there were 533 voting members of the 119th Congress. Of the 533 members, only 66 members (15.2%) in the House of Representatives were Millennial and only 5 members (5.0%) in the Senate were Millennial. In total, Millennials make up just 13.3% of Congress, and yet, we are the largest population alive across the United States.

As of today, Millennials make up the majority, and we will continue to be the majority until 2050. By 2028, the Baby Boomer generation will consist of less people than Gen X, and yet, they make up one of the largest groups in Congress. There are even more members of the Silent Generation (born between 1928–1945) in Congress than there are Gen Z (born after 1996).

Millennials need to step into leadership roles across the board — from local school district boards to election commissions, city councils, state legislatures, and even the U.S. Congress.

WE can bring fresh perspectives, innovative solutions, and an understanding of modern challenges that older generations may struggle to grasp — and do struggle to grasp, okay?

WE have LIVED through the trials and tribulations of widespread issues like student loan debt, housing affordability, climate change, gun violence, and digital privacy — all of which DEMAND leaders who have firsthand experience navigating them, which at least 90% of us have.

WE are the MOST diverse and socially conscious generation to date. Our leadership can foster greater inclusivity and ensure that government represents the full spectrum of American society.

WE are the tech generation. We know TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube like the backs of our hands. We know how to print/manage a PDF and most of us have suppressed the HTML/CSS skillset we gained from editing our MySpace themes. We know technology. We know social media. We were raised with it. We have built businesses and community with it.

With our strong digital communication skills, we have the tools to engage younger voters, increase political participation, and bridge generational gaps in civic involvement.

It’s time to put our leadership skills into ACTION.

I’m calling on ALL natural leaders within our generation — from former FBLA/PBL members to cheer team captains to student body presidents to NTHS/Honors Society members to the Soprano who put that ego to work singing way too loud in Show Choir — the time is NOW.

Honey, you’ve had the “it” factor within you all along — you’ve just been let down by the older adults in the room who dulled your shine, beat down your spirit, and tried to keep you in a box.

So many of us wanted to grow up to earn a degree, marry the love of our lives, have kids, own a nice house in a nice neighborhood, be gainfully employed with our wholesome careers, and live out the American dream.

The American dream is dead.

We didn’t kill it, no — it’s been slowly dying for generations.

Like Billy Joel said, we didn’t start this fire — it’s been burning long before we were ever born. We didn’t light it, but we must try to fight it.

And we must try to fight it — NOW.

I am telling you, my fellow Millennial — it’s time to stop working that dead-end job that takes you for granted, all while working you like a ragged dog, and take a HARD LEFT TURN out of the hellscape rut you’ve been living in.

Let that management job you’ve slowly climbed the ladder at that little restaurant take a backseat — don’t be trapped in someone else’s dream.

Let go of that C-Level executive position you’ve been vying for FIVE YEARS in hopes that the baby boomer rotting away in it would retire sometime soon — they aren’t retiring anytime soon, honey. LET IT GO.

Let go of waiting for your “dream job” to crop up in this foul economy where so many of the job listings are fake, expired, or flooded with applicants being screened by faulty AI programs.

Instead, run for something — anything — but DON’T run away from this societal problem thinking the resolution falls on another.

It doesn’t.

I believe in you. I believe in us.

You have what it takes to make a difference. You’ve had what it takes all along. You know it. I know it. We both know it. YOU have what it takes.

It’s time to put those leadership skills to work and TAKE THE LEAD.

Your friends, your family, your community — your country DEPENDS on you — ON US — to do something RIGHT NOW.

If you have ever felt frustrated by the direction of your community or the country, consider this: instead of waiting for change, BE THE CHANGE.

Take a hard look at that person staring back at you in the mirror.

You’ve grown up. You’ve changed. You may have a little gray. You may have lines on your face… but that rebel within you is still there.

IT’S TIME.

Swallow your pride. Sheath your anxiety. Quell your fear.

No one is coming to save us. We have to save ourselves.

Whether it’s running for a school board position, city mayor, or state representative, WE must stand up. We aren’t kids anymore — we’re the adults in the room. WE must make the move.

Public office isn’t just for career politicians — it’s for people who care, who want to make a difference, and who have the courage to lead.

Even if you don’t think you have the education, skillset, financial backing, or wisdom to make meaningful change in your community, state, or country — I promise you — there are other people doing so with a whole lot less than what you have to offer.

The time is NOW.

YOU don’t need anyone’s permission.

YOU have what it takes.

YOU can make a difference.

YOU can be the change that you wish to see in this world.

BE IT!