Midmorning With Aundrea - October 23, 2020 (Part 2) [ENCORE PRESENTATION]

(Part 2 of 4) Generation Z claims to have all the answers to create a better world, or are they just deluding themselves?

The cbs series " more perfect union" aims t show that what unites us as americans is far greater than what divides us.

Adriana diaz introduces us to a group of teenagers -- some of them too young to vote -- who are working to strengthen their communities and american democracy itself.

From protesting gun violence& to rallying against climate change generation z has raised it voice to change the world.

Generation z is the most diverse, most educated, and most interconnected generation.

// we have a unique perspective and a unique energy to not only change significant issues in the country, but change the systems behind the issues// 17 year old thanasi dilos is one of those change makers.

In may 2019 he co- founded "civic unplugged" ... a organization helping more than 400 students craft and fund their passion projects.

They all serve a common goal, is to push america forward.

It's to get kids more educated.

And it's to serve democracy.

We've learned that we can harness the power of change.

And we can take our specific and unique strengths to actually turn change into action.

16-year-old noor mryan wanted to give her peers a productive outlet after covid- 19 canceled plans& so she co-created an online civics camp.

We're all living through unprecedented times and we figured, why not make a use out of the time we have at home?

So make sure that you keep contacting legislators& 18-year-old harvard freshman tarina ahuja wanted to see more empathy in public policy so she started a think tank called the greater good initiative.

&working to write nonpartisan policy in the areas of education, public health, economy, civil rights and environment.

And these are teenagers writing policy for the u.s. government?

Yes.

// and we have, like, 70 page briefs.

..

You take the raw and genuine passion of young people.

You pair that with the resources.

And then, you know, after that you have a supernova of action.

We're going to need to split history of race into 3 different lessons... 17 year old kentuckian, zoe jenkins, saw vital lessons missing from her education so she wrote her own curriculum to teach students about diversity, equity and anti- racism.

We talk about the differences between race and ethnicity and really educate people on things that our education system should've already taught them, a lot of it is teaching people it's okay to not know.

Though their youth comes with advantages... it's also used against them.

We were // advocating for // increasing the number of school counselors.

And we got a response of, "oh, you guy should set up a little bake sale and raise money."

/ and it's like, that's not real policy change.

Do you guys think your generation gets a bad rap?

We do have that reputation for being engrossed in technology.

// but the really cool thing is we're also using those things to achieve some of these missions, whether it be sending messages on tiktok about empathy, about social justice,// about how to vote, or using instagram and snapchat to amplify stories that haven't been heard.

If i can cause 100- 200 kids to start their projects, i think my work has been a success.

Thanasi says civics unplugged - which is non profit and non partisan - has partnered with major foundations...secu ring $1 million in pledges to support these student projects.

I'm watching you.

And i have to remind myself you're just 17 years old.

You look like a veteran politician giving a speech.

I think that social media and covid has accelerated our development but we don't have time to wait until we graduate college to make change.

Change needs to happen right now.

We're the generation that came of age after 9/11.

// we're also all coming of age during a global pandemic, and the new civil rights movement.

// i don't think we've ever had a sense of urgency like what we're seeing right now.

And with their potential áunpluggedá... they say their reach has no limits.

Adriana diaz, cbs news.

The glamour and the talent makes it look easy.

But as one music legend explains, that?s not always the case.

A conversation