Gen-Z is one of the most influential generations of human history, being the first generation to have technology at their fingertips. This generation also grew up steeped in activism and social change like the Trump presidency, climate change protests and March for Our Lives. This generation also has its fair share of activists like Greta Thunberg. 

 It comes as no surprise when this generation received the moniker of the Generation of Change, yet we often see that in Gen-Z activism, there is a white savior complex. Take TikTok for example. While the app has been used to spread awareness and social change, if one looks closely enough, they can see the appropriation of BIPOC struggles. 

POV TikToks are a prominent example of this. Watching one of these can make the viewer cringe with the overacting and unnatural, lip synced dialogue, yet they all center around a theme: the revolution. The revolution of equality for BIPOC. It is important to note that many people who appropriate the struggle of BIPOC are usually white kids from suburbia who take over the voices of actual BIPOC on the app. This action is prominent in many white savior complexes, where people who are not oppressed often attempt to steal the spotlight from those who are, and it leads to more divides. 

The media also places extreme focus upon teenagers in the public eye like Claudia Conway, who express their political opinions. The media will herald them as heroes and the face of change, pushing the narrative that Gen Z alone will save the world. These narratives place an inordinate amount of pressure upon Conway and others and disregards the efforts of elder activists. 

Youth led advocacy organizations also use the white savior complex to recruit younger volunteers. These organizations push the idea that the adults have failed, and the youth must fight for change alone. Take the Sunrise Movement or March for Our Lives. Both organizations push a narrative that only Gen Z can change the world, continuously highlighting teenage activists like David Hogg and Greta Thunberg. There is an extreme amount of pressure to contribute to becoming the saviors of the world on these teenagers that soon it becomes popular belief to these teenagers following these activists that Gen Z is the savior the world needs. 

Today’s generation has played such an important role in activism, yet they often forget who laid the groundwork for them to become activists, and it may be the greatest mistake they will ever make. There is a chance to rectify it however, and it starts with educating each other of those who came before us and how they impacted movements like BLM, March4OurLives, and climate change. 

Click here to learn about modern day youth activism and its predatory behavior .