A Collective Spirit of My Generation

The A&T Four had the strength of families that educated their children about Civil Rights. They were privileged enough to go to a college. They used the powers of non-violent protest, the press, determination, and community which inevitably proved strong enough to integrate Woolworth. 

I also am lucky enough to live in a family that enables me to educate myself about social justice, peaceful protest, and the strength of numbers in our democracy. I have access to more opportunities than the A&T did due to my socioeconomic status and race. My strength in community is similar in the sense that I feel part of a family and a collective spirit of my generation. 

Our generation has already demonstrated our power through the national movement of March for Our Lives. At the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, a tour guide constantly reminded us that the Civil Rights Movement was driven by students. The demand for more effective gun regulation has been the unifying issue so far, but I have hope that we will not stop there. If we can expand the movement of “getting out the vote,” involving more people in our democracy and addressing the inequities in the voting system, I believe the legacy of our generation could be great. Ingrained in our democratic process is the history of our society’s inequalities. If we can truly represent all voices equally, we may yet become a nation of people viewed equally in the eyes of the law. 

- Owen A.