Born between 1981-1997, millennials—also called Gen Yers—are digital natives who grew up in a world of constant connectivity. They’re highly social, hugely optimistic and relentlessly determined to change the world for the better. And they’re doing it on their own timetable. For this generation, 30 really is the new 20. But don’t mistake that—or their demand for instant gratification, personalized solutions and greater work-life balance—as a sign of social decline. Instead, this nimble generation is uniquely qualified to navigate a fast-changing society. Millennials have only known a world where everything from technology to social circles to jobs is fluid, so they’re graceful adapters by nature.
Read what Abby Elliott has to say to baby boomers
MILLENNIAL INFLUENCERS
Mark Zuckerberg, 31
The poster child for high-tech success, Facebook founder and Harvard dropout Zuckerberg parlayed an idea for an online dating service into a social networking empire that now connects 936 million people every day. Worth $38.6 billion, he has expanded into everything from online advertising to virtual-reality gaming headsets and is poised to become the millennial equivalent of legendary Apple founder (and baby boomer) Steve Jobs.
Jessica Matthews, 27
The daughter of Nigerian immigrants, this inventor’s high-tech fitness company, Uncharted Play, harnesses the power of physical fitness to generate clean, renewable energy and encourage people to get moving. Products include the Soccket, a soccer ball that can power a reading lamp, and Pulse, a jump rope that charges your smartphone. Every purchase gives a child access to Uncharted Play products and Think Out of Bounds curriculum.
Kyle Smitley, 30
A former law student who founded the organic children’s clothing company barley & birch (a breakout hit with celebs from Jessica Alba to Sheryl Crow), Smitley recently launched The Detroit Achievement Academy, a charter school that teaches kids resilience, grit and character development in addition to the standard curriculum.
Miley Cyrus, 22
Known as much for her risqué antics and edgy dance club music as her iconic lead role in Disney’s teen comedy smash Hannah Montana, this seemingly ubiquitous pop idol/actress has recently begun singing a cheerier tune. She’s just launched The Happy Hippie Foundation, a nonprofit that raises awareness about gender identity and helps provide support services and education to homeless youth, 40 percent of whom are LGBT individuals.
Kevin Breel, 21
Comedian and mental health activist Breel’s TEDx talk “Confessions of a Depressed Comic” (viewed over 2 million times on Ted.com) revealed his own struggles to shed light on the widespread problem society wants to ignore: depression. His new book Boy Meets Depression: Or Life Sucks and Then You Die Live – out in September—is a raw account of learning to accept himself and overcome the stigma of mental illness.
Malala Yousafzai, 18
History’s youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, this Pakistani human rights activist was shot by the Taliban in 2012 for her outspoken views on women’s and girls’ right to education. An ardent campaigner for “books, not bullets,” she recently celebrated her 18th birthday by opening a school in Lebanon for Syrian refugees.
MILLENNIALS BY THE NUMBERS
34%
Millennials who have a bachelor’s or more advanced academic degree, making them the most educated American generation ever
1 in 3
Adults in year 2020 who will be millennials
$27,000
Average amount of student debt for a recent graduate, compared to $12,000 in 1993
1 in 8
Millennials who moved back in with their parents because of the recession, making them the “boomerang” generation
250
Average number of friends millennials have on Facebook—that’s 25 percent more than Gen Xers and up to 500 percent more than boomers
70%
Millennials who consider themselves social activists
93 cents
Amount millennial women make per dollar earned by their male peers, coming closer than previous generations to closing the wage gap
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