On Tuesday January 12, 2016, our president Barack Obama gave his final State of the Union Speech. If you haven't seen it check it out below.

In a word, President Obama’s final State of the Union speech was prophetic. He constructed a view of America’s forthcomings by laying out the problems facing our impending futures. These future problems will need to be solved by Millennials because we are the future of the world. Young Millennials have grown up with Barack Obama as our President. Now as he is preparing to leave office this year, there will be expectations for his successor. I along with other Millennials want to elect someone with the courage to fight for equality. Growing up and watching President Obama fight until his hair literally turned gray, is an example for all the movements surfacing today. In President Obama's speech, he discussed the need for politics to evolve to fit a mold reflective of the rights of all American people.

"We need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion. This isn’t a matter of political correctness. It’s a matter of understanding what makes us strong. The world respects us not just for our arsenal; it respects us for our diversity and our openness and the way we respect every faith."

President Obama at his 2009 State of the Union (top); President Obama at his 2016 State of the Union (bottom)

President Obama's speech should appeal to Millennials because many of the main issues he discussed are problems that affect us: climate change, education reform, technology innovation and our immigration system. He charged America with taking a "Spirit of Innovation", to continue to lead as the number one nation on the planet.

"When it comes to every important international issue, people of the world do not look to Beijing or Moscow to lead  —  they call us."

So as young Millennials in America, it is important that we elect a successor to President Obama that will lead with a "Spirit of Innovation" because whatever decisions the next president chooses will leave a residue that young Millennials will have to deal with in the future. Innovation looks like cutting the red tape, supporting startups, education equality and police reform. However, this drive towards improving our futures is being stagnated by those American who are becoming driven by fears.

"It’s easier to be cynical, to accept that change isn’t possible, and politics is hopeless, and to believe that our voices and actions don’t matter. But if we give up now, then we forsake a better future."

Fear that China’s growing economy is stronger than America’s was denounced. In fact, President Obama discussed how China’s current economic transition away from a manufacturing based economy, something America did long ago, puts China far behind us. Fear of every Muslim which is increasing due to ISIS attacks on civilians is exactly what ISIS wants so they can become a safe haven for rejected Muslims. Fear that we are running out of oil, when America is currently the number oil producer.

"...Choosing to have confidence in who we are and not acting on our fears."

America's biggest fear may be change. We have seen 18 million Americans given free healthcare and marriage equality. President Obama has even pushed for free community college. We are on the brink of mass social change and that scares a lot of people. "We need to fix our politics" are the words our president used. Our antiquated system, created to benefit a society full of WASPs, needs to be fixed to benefit our current diverse society. "We the people" in 2016 does not mean the same as it did in 1787. President Obama's 2016 State of the Union Address will echo into the ears of the future and help shape America's future pursuits.