The Activism of Generation Z

Change. It’s positive, negative, confusing, and painful, and Gen Z aches for it. Extremely adept at research, they’re conscious about what brands they support, and they’re not afraid to boycott a brand unaligned with their values, which may include topics centered around LGBTQIA+ rights, sustainability, race, and ethical production.  

48% of Gen Zers are ethnic and racial minorities, and 1 in 6 identify as a member of LGBTQIA+ community, so they’re not just passionate about how the world treats people because it’s the “right thing to do” — their pockets are full of daily lived experiences of the bias, pain, and discrimination that these historically marginalized communities face in the United States.  

In many ways, their lives have been deprived of the events many of us might consider crucial to an American childhood: prom, graduation, college orientation…the list goes on. They’re tired of sitting on the world’s backburner, and they’re realizing that with change comes action. With action comes power. And, in the wise words of Ben Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility.”  

Activism in their words

We know from our previous research that Gen Z is decidedly more inclusive and progressive than past generations. But what, exactly, is motivating them to get involved at a young age? We led a simple, informal survey of about 250 Gen Zers to find out.* 

About 66% of our Gen Z respondents considered themselves activists. Why?

• “I think it's important to be the change you want to see in the world.”
• “I seize the opportunity whenever I get it to make contributions and make the little change I can in society.” 
• “I fight white supremacy in personal and professional settings.” 
• “I want to see the world get changed for the better.” 
• “I support activism and freedom of speech. As long as it isn't hateful, people should be able to speak their minds.” 

These are certainly hopeful remarks. But what’s more compelling are the reasons why the other 34% said they did not consider themselves activists. 

• “I can be pretty passive about social issues. I have firm beliefs but don't really want to press them on others.” 
• “I feel like I would be an activist because I want to make change happen, but I said that I am not an activist because I have not done that yet.” 
• “Although I do my best to stay educated and informed on political and social issues and have leftist views, I do not actively participate in protests or attend any social clubs for change.” 
• “There is so much gatekeeping around the term. I care a lot about these issues, but most of my actions are interpersonal rather than in the community.” 
• “I don't make a large effort to lead others to make changes for good. I simply try to lead the best private life I can.” 
• “Although I'm someone who is very socially aware and has a small part in calling attention to big issues and volunteering, I don't think I do enough to be considered an activist. I would consider an activist someone who is actively organizing to bring about social change.” 
• “At first I said yes but then realized that I don't actually take direct action. I donate to certain charities once in a while, but otherwise I don't spread posts about global issues or write letters to officials.” 

There’s a clear tension looming over Zoomers: what amount of action and involvement “counts” as activism? When you focus only on the people who would call themselves activists, it seems pretty simple. Activists are people who participate at any level of social change. But when it comes to those who avoid the label, one thing is clear: activism requires a level of involvement and effort that they cannot achieve. 

Our respondents certainly felt strongly about topics like racial equity, sustainability and more. They are more willing to take action and see activities like protesting, learning more about sensitive issues and being public advocates as important. However, the bar for what they consider true activism is continually being raised. Organizations, businesses and brands of any size will have a responsibility to keep up if they want to continue appealing to a younger audience. 

For marketers, this responsibility might look like an actionable, public-facing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan, as well as a commitment to engaging in partnerships with marginalized communities year-round, AND paying them for their work. You can also show support by donating to organizations that champion the issues you care about, inviting consumers to join along in the journey with you. 

Interested in reaching a Gen Z audience? We’ve got just the thing for you: a full Gen Z Report. Check it out and stay tuned – there's even more Zoomer-related content headed your way. 

*Note: This survey was conducted by Black Sheep intern Christa Westheimer via MechanicalTurk as part of developing another potential project related to student activism. Though the responses were intended for a different research goal, the data provides valuable insight that expands on previous research conducted for the Gen Z Report. Written responses have been edited for grammar and spelling but are otherwise unaltered.