blog 4… Why Millennials?

The Millennials, we haven’t been here long,
but we promise not to bore.

We’ve bopped into our generation with song,
app and tweet and snap galore.

We cast aside our fathers’ labels,
about sex and gender and who goes where.

Rebelling history’s one-sided fable,
we chose our place, our clothes, our hair.

In the streets, donning rainbows, we link arms
and march with pride,

ready to stand up for more tomorrows
and our communities far and wide!

Behind the Poem:
This poem is a manifestation of my Archive about Social Activism and LGBTQ Millennials. I love writing and have been an active writer most of my life. For me, it is an important tool to work through ideas and emotions. Therefore, thinking both critically and creatively to construct this piece about my Archive helped me to see it in a newer light. I haven’t yet addressed in my Archive the fact that the Millennial generation has a bit of a “bad rap” and is often criticized for a multitude of reasons (of which I won’t waste anyone’s time on here because I think they are silly.) However, when I went to write this poem, I found myself immediately wanting to talk about how powerful and impactful they (we) have been in this community and beyond. Which is, without a doubt, a primary focus in creating this archive = seeing the impact of Millennial, LGBTQ+ Creators!

Noteworthy:
My poem is modeled in structure and style off of Paul Verlaine’s “Spleen.” I liked his simple way of writing and his rhyming pattern. The continuation of sentences between lines was an interesting tool as both a writer and a reader of his work. As someone who has studied writing, I always find it fascinating to encounter new writers and then attempt to mimic their techniques.

WhyMillennialsMatter.com

5 thoughts on “blog 4… Why Millennials?

  1. Hello Ashley.
    I like this Blog. It seems like a good start to perhaps a bigger archive item going forward? I understand your poem to mean Millennials are here, active and ready to stand up. A great chance at opportunity. When you say stand up, is this representative of legislative challenges? Or, marches? Or, have the Millennials a specific social platform, or maybe a cause or goal they are pursuing? Following the diagram you shared, it looks like the oldest of the “Millennials” era should be about 27 years old now. Aged enough to begin being or already be involved in activating or creating change. I am interested to see how Millennials organize their numbers into social and community strength.
    I also like how you recognize that there is more than one aspect of, or perception of Millennials. Question, do you foresee posting or responding to any of the other “bad rap” perceptions or challenges regarding Millennials going forward? It might be interesting to compare those perceptions to yours, or perhaps some active Millennial groups or organizations.
    Also to note, I like your site overall and what, I think, you are trying to represent. Your experience, and talent, are definitely assets for you and your site. I am interested to see what types of activism and changes Millennials have made or are goaled to make.

    1. Thanks so much for your comments! This assignment has definitely inspired me and who knows — could be a catalyst for a future post. When I reference “stand up,” I think that means so many things to different people. Standing up and out of the closet, standing up and for civil rights, standing up and for identity and who one is. More specifically for me, I think, yes, it does have to do with the political side of activism simply because that’s my line of work. But as evidenced by the posts and the people I have representing here on my archive, this takes shape in many different forms.

      The oldest millennials are actually in their 30s. (I know math is the worst! hah!) I’m older than 27, so my peers and I gladly accept and embrace our millennial status. 🙂

      As far as the “bad rap” and addressing it here on my archive… I don’t know that it’s completely necessary to acknowledge it. But instead countering it with the positive work and activism of this generation has been my way of doing so. I’ll think on it more. I honestly feel like spotlighting it gives it some sort of validity or weight to which I don’t think it’s due.

      Again, thank you for your positive feedback!! 🙂

  2. Hey Ashley,

    I am also an active writer, hence my sites, so I understand and believe that getting ideas across through writing is important. I haven’t gotten a chance to see everything on here, but so far it’s great. I would like to know more on how millennials got such a bad rap, I would want to know and how that impacted LGBT community. The image got me updated on the population on millennials; do you think we, millennials, should be doing more? In what area do you think we should be focusing on, politics, activism, literature, cinema?
    Overall, good work! I look forward to seeing more.

  3. Hey Ashley,
    Awesome post! I really appreciated the different style of writing, I chose Whitman whose words are quite complicated but they definitely paint a visual. I couldn’t agree with you more about the emotions in poetry, it amazed me how easy it was for me to write about Harvey Milk when I really didn’t know too much about him before this project. The poetry and emotions definitely brought out the passion for my subject. I haven’t been keeping up with these things as I should, but I’m excited to read up on us “millennials”!!

  4. That’s a well-written poem! It’s simple, but interesting, relevant, and to-the-point. I love its message! And it models “Spleen” well!

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