The Gainesville Times published an article in yesterday's paper which detailed the challenges and opportunities facing the millennial generation. I was happy to have my thoughts included in the article which you can read here. Below are my full remarks. Thank you for reading!

Q: As a member of this generation, how would you describe millennial attitudes toward racial, ethnic and cultural diversity?

A: As the study points out, my generation is the most diverse generation in American History. My graduating class of Johnson High School was so diverse that from a young age, many of us never saw race, we never saw skin color. We knew that we were all classmates, friends, and members of a very tight knit community. Looking back at data from the GADOE website for the year 2011, my graduating class was 53% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 6% Black and 37% White. It is my hope that millennials are members of a generation which see people for who they truly are, and what their character is, rather than skin color, nation of origin or political affiliation.

Q: What is the biggest struggle or challenge that your generation faces? 

A: Millennials face career obstacles. While this generation has attained a higher level of post-secondary education than previous generations, I am forced to wonder if it is the most fitting type of education. Society is pumping out graduates of four year colleges with liberal arts degrees every year, but the demand is in skilled labor, and for tradesmen. Further, with rising costs for healthcare and living, Baby Boomers being forced to retire later and later and millennials can remain “stuck” in entry to mid level jobs in some instances. Perhaps most pressing, however, is the state of our nation’s finances. With a rapidly growing federal debt and no clear plan to address it, our generation and those of our children will be stuck with a massive burden due to the lack of leadership and action in Washington, D.C. 

Q: How will millennials be remembered, in your opinion, once the next generation takes the reins?

A: I sincerely hope that millennials are able to make a positive difference for our nation and world, just as “the Greatest Generation” after the Great Depression and the Baby Boomers after World War II have done. There is too much work to be done for my generation to sit idly by, become apathetic, refuse to vote, refuse to work hard and provide for our loved ones and give back to our communities. I don’t aim to be Polly-Annish in my thinking, but millennials have a long row to hoe. I pray that we rise to the occasion, and unite under a renewed American spirit to restore our nation’s outlook and giver our children an opportunity to realize their dreams only through good, old fashioned hard work and grit.

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Click Here to Read the article in the Gainesville Times