Building a Legacy: How Gen-Z Can Lead With Action

This summer, I had the privilege of attending a program at the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse, where I met Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Silence filled the room; everyone was in awe of her presence; I could feel the excitement rising in my inner child who had read her memoir five times in the fourth grade. During the Q&A session, I asked her what legacy she wants to leave on the country and future generations, expecting an answer about her role as a trailblazer in the Supreme Court and wanting all her hard work to be remembered. Instead, she paused for a second, then mentioned how she doesn’t worry about her legacy knowing that the youth will continue advocating on the foundations of change she has laid.

Going home that night, I began to reflect. Are we as Gen-Z ready to live up to her faith in us? Oftentimes, I feel as if Gen-Z is caught between two worlds: one of immense activism and drive for change and another trapped in an online bubble of performative gestures. Social media is full of unlimited opportunities for us to amplify causes and organize action, but it often seems like our motivational energy stops at a simple repost of an infographic. People repost simply because they see others reposting or to show that they care about an issue without putting in actual work to catalyze change. These actions even seem ingenuine, showing that we care more about our reputation than the actual causes themself. This prompts the question: are we truly leaving a legacy or just pretending to? 

In the past century, our country’s views of our legacies have shifted immensely. In the early 20th century, tangible and measurable outcomes defined legacies—things like a person’s art collection or their estate determined their eternal footprint on the world—but as the century progressed, legacies became more intertwined with societal impact and contributions. People like Martin Luther King Jr. and Ruth Bader Ginsberg are remembered today, not for their sprawling mansions and material wealth, but for the impact they made and the change they inspired.  Justice Sotomayor herself exemplifies this—she is not concerned with how she is remembered but on the progress that continues past her lifetime. 

In the face of a tumultuous political sphere and the ever-growing presence of performative activism online, I find myself wondering what our generation’s legacy will be and if we even care about leaving a legacy. The answer lies in the collective force of our actions. Individual legacy is not just about personal gratification but how we affect others beyond the people immediately beside us. While Gen-Z has made immense progress through social media, whether it be via the #MeToo movement, #Black Lives Matter, or climate change campaigns, real change requires looking away from our phones and actively engaging in the world. 

A legacy is marked by more than just a towering monument or statue in a city center—it’s marked by progress and change, by the ways our actions transcend generations upon generations. 

A few weeks ago, I remembered these ideas of legacy and activism and change when my AP U.S. History teacher Dr. Lisa Greenwald posted about the potential closing of our beloved deli, Terry’s. She urged that we stay away from passive and performative gestures. Although writing articles or making a GoFundMe might feel like attempts at action, they fall short at addressing the root issue, especially when said issue isn’t fully understood. Many students jumped to assumptions about Terry’s such as financial struggles and inability to pay rent, which prompted the GoFundMe; however, the actual issue involved landlord paperwork. This misunderstanding highlights how meaningful action is only possible when we take the time to research and understand a situation. Dr. Greenwald recommended we instead take actions such as organizing a letter-writing campaign to the landlord or organizing a rally and inviting the media to cover it. She argues that this is the kind of effort that creates real change. She ended her post saying that historically Stuyvesant students have been excellent at self-advocacy, and she challenges us to do the same—in other words, continue the legacy of past Stuy students. 

So, how do we as Gen-Z move past performative activism in order to create a lasting legacy? 

In Sotomayor’s response, she said that “we can’t afford to be bystanders in our own lives,” 

challenging us to not just passively participate in matters that we are personally affected by, but take an active role. It begins with acting authentically. We need to engage in issues that actually matter to us, not just ones that we think are trending. Then, we must pause and research the issue before just jumping on a bandwagon in order to ensure that our actions are intentional. From there, we can begin to bridge online awareness with tangible action in many forms—volunteering for local organizations, lobbying for policy changes, or organizing events that draw attention to issues that aren’t otherwise highlighted. 

As we navigate this turbulent world, we must embrace the foundation laid by those who came before us such as Justice Sotomayor. We must ensure that our generation’s legacy will ultimately be marked not by how we navigate these times through a screen but how we engage with the world around us, no matter how chaotic it may seem. The events of this week alone—the South Korean President invoking and revoking martial law within a day; the CEO of UnitedHealthcare shot in broad daylight; the toppling of the Syrian regime; Joe Biden pardoning his son Hunter Biden—highlight the importance of informed activism.  In an era where so many of us rely on TikTok and Instagram to keep up to date with news, we face the dilemma of not only addressing injustices but also combating the spread of misinformation. To do so, we must look past catchy headlines and take the time to seek out reliable sources. Real activism requires us to not just have passion but also have a deep understanding of the problems we try to solve. 

Whether it’s through organizing rallies and marches or advocating for changes in policy, the way we engage in shaping society will leave a permanent mark. The true measure of our legacy will be how well we stand up for what is right—not to be recognized or validated by our peers, but because the causes are worth the fight.