There are so many assumptions being made about millennials: what they’re like, what they want, and how they interact with other generations. Some of these assumptions are positive, others not so much: it’s not uncommon to see stories about millennials lacking loyalty to their companies or even to their friends. However, today I want to take a look at some positive stories about millennials doing great things in business and society, and show that you can’t generalize an entire generation when there is so much good in the world!
Michael Tubbs: The 26 Year Old Mayor
Michael Tubbs isn’t an ordinary 28 year old: after all, how many 28 year olds are running a city? After serving on city council, Tubbs became the youngest mayor in the history of Stockton, California (as well as its first African-American mayor) when he was elected at the tender age of 26 years old. Stockton is an economically depressed Northern California city of about 300,000 residents that unfortunately carries a violent reputation, and after the tragic murder of his cousin, Tubbs left school and decided to dedicate his life to solving Stockton’s persistent violent crime problem. He’s also working on a plan to guarantee $500 to low-income families, no strings attached. Michael Tubbs is a fantastic example of a person who refused to believe that he was too young to affect his community.
Elyse Burden: Helping Kids Learn How to Be Business Owners
School is mostly about the learning times tables and parts of speech, but there’s no reason why it couldn’t also be able a lot more. Real World Scholars is a non-profit company led by 28 year old co-founder Elyse Burden that brings technology into classrooms to allow students to start and manage their own e-commerce business. Not only does Real World Scholars teach responsibility and business management, it also gives young people the opportunity to get real world experience that will undoubtedly help them throughout their professional lives. And it’s not just high schoolers that benefit either: even elementary students are being empowered to start their own businesses thanks to Real World Scholars!
My name is Jessica Cox, and more than anything I want to help people find ways to unlock the impossible and live their best possible life, regardless of their age, background, or obstacles in life. If you’d like me to share my story and inspire the attendees at your business or religious gathering, please contact me here.