If you read my blog posts, you know that I often share stories of my kids. Well, it’s less because I’m proud of them (which I definitely am), and more because I learn so much from them — from their thoughts and perspectives, to their openness and their actions. The truth is that we can learn quite a bit from our kids and from youth, in general. They offer fresh, untarnished, and oftentimes more optimistic views of the world, as well as ideas for making it better.
So, today, I’m extremely excited to announce a partnership with TEDxYouth@Beacon Street, where Small Army is proud to elevate the voices of younger generations and help them drive positive change. Over the last several months, we’ve had dozens of TEDxYouth speakers come to our office to practice, share, and hone their talks for their upcoming event on November 9 at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt). Not only do I hope that you will attend this event, but I hope it also inspires you to join us as we help even more young people tell their stories in the months and years ahead.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a blog post of mine if I didn’t include a relevant list. So here’s a list of why the voices of our youth are so important for positive change.
- Fresh Frame of Reference – Let’s face it: many of us come from a world before cell-phones, internet, streaming, electric cars, and on-demand television. Our frame of reference is outdated. The perspectives of those who grew up in a different era can open our eyes to new ideas, new problems, and new solutions.
- Inspired Innocence – The younger generation has yet to be as “skeptical” as many of us older folk. The younger they are, the less often we hear “that can’t be done” or “that’s already been tried and it didn’t work.” They truly believe that anything is possible, and it can be quite inspiring to hear what that “anything” might be.
- Global Grasp – For many of the younger generation, the default view of the world is a global one. They see how they are impacted locally, but truly understand that everything we do has a global impact. They can help broaden our views, too.
- Authentic Altruism – For most youth I’ve encountered, altruism is truly seeded in a desire to make the world a better place, as opposed to being motivated by ego, power, or financial gain. The more others follow their example, the better.
- Unparalleled Passion – Perhaps because of all of the above, youthful passion can be contagious. Even when you hear an idea that may seem crazy (often because of our tarnished views), the passion that comes with it can be incredibly motivating.
I hope to see you at the TEDxYouth@Beacon Street event on November 9. And if you’re interested in being a part of our initiative by helping mentor a potential TEDxYouth speaker, please let me know. Together, we can accelerate the change we need and bring more young voices to the stage.
As always, thanks for listening. Feel free to share this with others. And, if you have any thoughts or comments, please share them here.
Until next time,
Jeff Freedman
CEO/Managing Partner
Small Army | Finn Partners