The Gen Z Guide to Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On January 21, 2017, one day after President Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States, my mother and I attended the Women’s March on the Boston Common. I had never seen so many people in one place in my entire life, and at first, I was a bit scared. I was barely 8 years old. My mother later told me that over 175,000 people gathered that day to peacefully communicate that the new administration could not ignore women’s rights. It took me a few years to realize that my mom had given me a precious gift that day. I learned firsthand about the power of peaceful protest and the importance of ensuring all voices are heard.

I am a Gen Z baby; my generation makes up about 20% of the U.S. population. Social psychologists have identified flaws in my generation, including that we spend too much time on the internet and cannot negotiate or compromise well. They may very well be correct, but there is one key thing my generation does well: We care deeply about the world around us. We care about racial and gender equality, and we care deeply about social change. We merely choose to express our views principally through our online identities.

On April 18, 1959, Martin Luther King Jr. addressed over 26,000 students on the grounds of the Washington Monument. He saw them as a generation that would not take no for an answer and would fight ferociously for total equality. He wasn’t just addressing the beat generation; he was speaking directly to us, Gen Z. His message is more relevant today than ever before.

“Make a career of humanity,” he said. “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”

To many in my age demographic, the peaceful Youth March for Integrated Schools is very much alive today. We choose to express our impatience for societal change online. My generation is a living, breathing guide to promoting social justice in the digital age.

In 2019, students and youth activists in Hong Kong leveraged social media extensively to draw global attention to their pro-democracy agenda. The ALS Association raised a staggering $115 million in donations in 2014, largely thanks to their ice bucket challenge that went viral on social media. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) civil rights movement gained momentum online when posts with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter began shining a spotlight on police violence that targeted the African American community. Pew Research Center completed an analysis of the hashtag and found it was used nearly 47.8 million times on Twitter, confirming the muscle of social activism on social media.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a genuine trailblazer, using nonviolent protest and civil disobedience to draw attention to the disgraceful Jim Crow laws. Gen Z is considered the first generation to be true digital natives. Contrary to popular belief, we are acutely aware of the negative aspects of social media platforms: the proliferation of fake news, the need for moderation of harmful content while protecting our freedom of speech, etc. However, we also understand the power and potency of social media. We recognize that hashtags and viral videos can amplify positive societal signals and help fight for justice.

As we celebrate Dr. King, every generation, from Baby Boomers to Gen Alpha, needs to find its unique and authentic voice to further the reverend’s social justice mission. My mother’s generation gathered in large parks waving placards and posters. My generation chooses instead to showcase our support for a social cause by flipping our online profile pictures and creating viral hashtags. We are eager to tear free from the precedents of the generations before us to forge a new path forward for us and society.

This approach is precisely how we plan to carry forward Dr. King’s legacy. As global connectivity grows exponentially, we leverage our social influencer status to shape global views.

We are the fulcrum with which we intend to change my world. We are proud to be Gen Z.