I am so lucky to be a millennial raised in Washington. Between the 1980s and the 2000s, we’ve been fortunate to see the rise of technology’s phenomenal impact on society, as well as the progression into a new age. Washington, one of the more progressive states in America, is full of unique opportunities for all types of people -- a place filled with entrepreneurs, artists, and people filled with passion inspires us millennials to become the people we aspire to be.

Washington has been especially lucky to produce big companies like Amazon and Microsoft, who have played an important role in our generation. It encourages creators, entrepreneurs, businessmen and all sorts of other focuses to be a part of a movement. With heavy influences like these companies in our generation, it goes hand-in-hand with the group of hardworking people who have created their dreams. Who we surround ourselves with is crucial to our atmosphere, and when we’re surrounded by people we see succeeding, it inspires us to test what our own capabilities are and push us toward our own success.

The art scene is definitely something that makes Washington unique in that way. It's the state of “hipsters,” some may say. People express their creativity in different ways, and I am constantly surrounded by an immense amount of talent. I want to focus specifically on music. Washington is the origin of many well-known artists, such as Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Macklemore and many other successful musicians. These influences have inspired a number of people. At my school, Western Washington University, we’ve seen big artists like Odesza and Death Cab For Cutie emerge from this town. At school, I meet violinists, singers, electronic music composers, guitarists, and the lists goes on. Washington is a musically immersed place. I remember being 19; my best friend told me he wanted to create his own musical event. Fast forward to a year later and his show is at the end of this month. It’s encouraging and inspiring to see what people can accomplish once they have their heart set to it. Without the heavy amount of musical influence that we’ve had and our opportunities as millennials, who knows if there would be as many people in the music scene in Washington?

In the same vein, we’ve seen an immense uproar in social justice throughout the past few decades. Washington happens to be one of the more progressive states in America, as I stated above. Though much of what we support can be controversial, we continue to fight for the directions toward human rights. If there is something that threatens the life of someone -- immigrants, women, people of other ethnicities, victims of unfair treatment, or rape victims, among many others -- you can bet there will be a whole other group of people supporting and fighting for their rights. I believe that the progressiveness of Washington has raised a lot of our generation to more empathetic through the immersion of different societies to become one whole society, which couldn't have been done without the state's diversity.

As millennials from Washington, we are exposed to so much. We are exposed to the importance of education, for something more, art, being a part of a progressive movement, and standing for what we believe in. We are so lucky to be born in this time. Half a decade ago, much of what we have accomplished today was unimaginable. We are surrounded by a diverse group of people: Creators, musicians, businessmen, activists, and ideas, which all encourage us to be a part of something more. We may be young, and the world may be tough, but we are millennials in a progressive movement, and as long as we continue to strive and work toward our goals, we will succeed.