IntergeneRACIAL America and The Identity Work of Gen Z

There is a pause on the coverage of race relations in the news cycle now.

So, in this pause, let me parenthetically say that I see the growing diversity valuation and identity work that is going on in the youth culture today.

What Is The Next Story?

Will it come from the 2024 Presidential election? Or another racially charged crime? What will the next great story read like? Who will write it? Will it be a story of reconciliation? A story of reparations and support of the minority? Maybe some teenagers and their intentional relationships standing up for what is right? Or a team of football players hugging and crying on the field of the State Championship game in front of thousands watching?

Let me say it clearly. There is racism in our world and here at home in the United States. And yet there is also a growing intergeneRACIAL gracism in our world and here at home in the United States. A diversity valuation. And the two are living side by side in our culture today in 2024.

The Barna Group completed their historic study of the Millenial and GenZ set with findings that are very encouraging. Among other things, 44% of Mills/GenZ say they interact regularly with people who do not share their identity racially or otherwise.

This compared to only 25% of their Boomer parents and 20% of their elder grandparents (Barna Trends/Impact 360 study, page 107).

Over the past few years, the racial tension and the anger that has been presented by the media narrative has been out of control. It seems that when we have reported escalations of events, everything becomes explosive in America.

And yet there is a growing peaceful and unifying diversity movement growing up side by side with the racial tension. Where is the balance?

I'm not saying that racism doesn't exist because it's quiet. Or that it only exists during media hyperbole. It is obvious that we have a long way to go before we are 'a more peaceful union'. But this current media pause on racial tension and anger is welcomed. Maybe what we need more of is the solution and not the problem. Afterall, we get what we promote.

For now, a rest.

Let’s hope that our activists are not only waiting for the latest incident to act. But, that they are living in healing daily in Anytown, USA. Let’s hope that we are all doing the hard work of diversity valuation on a daily basis.

There are so many things that can be done on the daily to fight against racism and hate crimes. Where we deal with our sins together locally without the promotion of a national spotlight that doesn’t even have all of the news and information.

Could race-relations improve quicker because mis-information isn't fueling the problem? Could race-relations improve quicker because they are not being parsed by talking heads and their opinions far removed from the actual event? Could race-relations improve simply because the racial tension and anger isn't in the forefront of our minds?

Inter-geneRACIAL

Here is a term that I want to define, and ultimately, promote. Now, remember that I'm not saying just because racial tension and anger are not on the evening news, that racism has gone away. And it doesn't mean prejudice is gone and our progress is complete. What I would like to ask is, ‘What are we doing in the calm of the storm?’ How are we promoting diversity valuation?

America must be doing life as much as we can in an inter-geneRACIAL existence. Let me define that. We need much more than multi. Multi only says that there are many present. What we need is Inter. Inter says that there are not just many present, but, they are inter-related. Maybe we should be dealing with racial tension and anger at the micro-event level on the daily.

And this is the strength of intergeneRACIAL living. In educational settings, and corporate settings, and social media settings, and government settings. When we are inter-related and in community with each other, we are doing diversity valuation and healing at every level and all of the time.

Finally

We have heard about identity politics and the status quo characterizations during the Election 2024 cycle. Let’s not allow anything to steal the progress in intergeneRACIAL relations that have been done by the identity work among young people that is happening all over our country.

I have said many times on this blog and live across America in my meetings, that the younger generation in our country deals with racism much better than the older generation. I hear it from thousands of teenagers on a regular basis across the country.

In urban and rural settings. In sub-urban and religious and non-religious settings. I hear a younger generation doing 'Identity Work' and 'Ethnic Identity Development' without the mis-information of the national media.

But how long is that going to last? It will last when angry and bitter adults retell the past hurt with the purpose of healing and not hurt!

How badly I wish the narratives of healing and love and respect were being told. How badly I wish that we were living in intergeneRACIAL relationships. We need to hush the people who want to tell the negative stories of the past without the purpose of healing. And silence the racial inequality and disrespect with a tsunami of racial quality and respect!

I heard a student the other day in Sacramento say that she sees color! That color is a beautiful thing to recognize. And a young man came up to me in Illinois and said that his team at school is a melting pot. And he loves it. I realize that these two stories are anecdotal - proving my point with a small sample. But, I see this weekly across America and it must be promoted.

And this is the new narrative we must allow Gen Z and Alpha Gen to tell as they shape the world they will inherit from us.