It is often a habit of older generations to look down on their successors and right now it is the popular opinion that people like you and I are nothing but a face glued to an iPhone screen.

But that’s not how I see it.

Parents, bosses, and teachers alike seem to think that we are self-obsessed. They enjoy reducing our whole generation into people who take selfies.

But that’s not how I see it.

The world thinks that our youth blinds us from seeing for ourselves. Any opinion that deviates from the historical norm is because we are too young to understand.

But that’s not how I see it.

When I look at us, I see hope. I see empathy and action. In you, I see the tides turning.

Everyone is taught to look up to those who care about others. Few groups before us have been as openly compassionate and interested in others as I witness you be every day. You attempt to understand experiences outside of your own. For you, inclusion is an obvious necessity. Beyond that, you respect and stand up for others. There is no better human quality than that.

Each day is seen as an opportunity to create and you see beauty in what others find insignificant. You use your phone as the tool that it is. Production and experimentation are programmed into your routine. I cannot wait to experience the movies, television, music, art, and poetry this generation of creatives will make.

You are outspoken when it comes to what you believe in. Where others might see a problem, you’re already planning a movement. You understand your place in the world as an individual, but an individual with a voice. You are natural revolutionaries and your work will pay off.

What I love about you is that you see everything as bigger than you. You have the unique ability to recognize that just because something might not directly affect you, that does not mean it is not your problem, or at the very least, something you can help fix. I have so much faith in what our humanity is capable of.