Let Them Eat Avocado Toast
We are here, teeth bared and ready to fight for things we consider unjust. We create and destroy and we believe a luminous multitude of things. We are your children and your children's children. Stop acting like we're out to destroy your lives.
Introducing Emma Anne!
(Hot Sulphur Springs, CO)
(Hot Sulphur Springs, CO)
 | I am newly 24. I have two jobs: I work in the produce section at my local City Market, and I am an assistant wedding coordinator at the Grand Lake Lodge. I am a white, cisgender, bisexual woman. Not homeless or anything, but not rich by any means. While I am a minority in a few ways, the only one I think makes a huge difference is my sexuality. Everything else is just details. I know I am privileged by being white, and I will be the first to admit that since my identities don't hinder me often. |
Do you consider yourself a millennial- why or why not?
I would say yes. I think this mainly stems from my birth year. When I think of a Millennial, I think of the 90s kids. There are a lot of different sources that say that the Millennial generation extends into the 80s babies, and sometimes I agree with that. It comes and goes. For example, if I see someone who is what I consider a "real adult", even if they are around my age, they are no longer a Millennial. If someone has kids or wears suits to work, they aren't a Millennial anymore. But then I even think of kids who are in upper high school as Millennials sometimes too. I think of my sister, who is three years younger than me, as a Millennial too. If there was an age cutoff for the Millennial Generation, it may be 20-32.
I would say yes. I think this mainly stems from my birth year. When I think of a Millennial, I think of the 90s kids. There are a lot of different sources that say that the Millennial generation extends into the 80s babies, and sometimes I agree with that. It comes and goes. For example, if I see someone who is what I consider a "real adult", even if they are around my age, they are no longer a Millennial. If someone has kids or wears suits to work, they aren't a Millennial anymore. But then I even think of kids who are in upper high school as Millennials sometimes too. I think of my sister, who is three years younger than me, as a Millennial too. If there was an age cutoff for the Millennial Generation, it may be 20-32.
What identity has been key in your development as a millennial?
My age has definitely helped me in my development as a Millennial. But mindset has a lot to do with it. If a person is a more open minded twenty-something, they are the definition of a Millennial. The fact that I want to help others and create this unity amongst all people is a huge factor in my generation label. I don't think my sexuality or my gender have a whole lot to do with it. Maybe my financial status has something to do with it, but then again I know a lot of Millennials who are doing well for themselves financially. This is an interesting question.
Is your job the sole purpose or “calling” of your life? Put another way: what ignites and fuels you? Is it work or is it something bigger? Something deeper? Who do you serve at work, and why do you serve them?
Simply put, no. My jobs are great - they pay the bills and help me feed myself and my kids (cats), but they are not where I pictured myself. When I started college, I wanted to be an artist. But I'm not great at art. Then I wanted to be a teacher. And something happened, and I thought maybe, "What was the point?" of being a teacher. So I graduated with a degree in English Literature. And I don't do anything with that degree yet. Maybe I could, but what? I look at the list of jobs I could get with this degree and I feel stuck. They are great jobs I'm sure, but not for me. Maybe I'm just being that whiny-entitled-Millennial we're always hearing about. But we all deserve to do something that makes us happy. If I could write full-time and sustain a happy, comfortable life, I totally would. But I can't. I know I would never be the next J.K. Rowling or Stephen King. So I will find something to patch the holes but write as a side gig. And that makes me kind of sad. But what else can I do really? Honestly...I have this total pipe dream of opening a huge no-kill shelter and saving every death-row animal there is. But alas, I am poor.
Outside of work, I do little to nothing, but one thing I have recently gotten into is hiking. And when I hike, I only serve two things: nature and myself. The hiking is a precursor to something bigger, perhaps bigger than me. I serve nature by just taking care while I'm out and about and taking in the sights. I serve myself because every time I go to the mountains I get stronger. And if you can't be strong for yourself, who the hell else are you gonna be strong for??
My age has definitely helped me in my development as a Millennial. But mindset has a lot to do with it. If a person is a more open minded twenty-something, they are the definition of a Millennial. The fact that I want to help others and create this unity amongst all people is a huge factor in my generation label. I don't think my sexuality or my gender have a whole lot to do with it. Maybe my financial status has something to do with it, but then again I know a lot of Millennials who are doing well for themselves financially. This is an interesting question.
Is your job the sole purpose or “calling” of your life? Put another way: what ignites and fuels you? Is it work or is it something bigger? Something deeper? Who do you serve at work, and why do you serve them?
Simply put, no. My jobs are great - they pay the bills and help me feed myself and my kids (cats), but they are not where I pictured myself. When I started college, I wanted to be an artist. But I'm not great at art. Then I wanted to be a teacher. And something happened, and I thought maybe, "What was the point?" of being a teacher. So I graduated with a degree in English Literature. And I don't do anything with that degree yet. Maybe I could, but what? I look at the list of jobs I could get with this degree and I feel stuck. They are great jobs I'm sure, but not for me. Maybe I'm just being that whiny-entitled-Millennial we're always hearing about. But we all deserve to do something that makes us happy. If I could write full-time and sustain a happy, comfortable life, I totally would. But I can't. I know I would never be the next J.K. Rowling or Stephen King. So I will find something to patch the holes but write as a side gig. And that makes me kind of sad. But what else can I do really? Honestly...I have this total pipe dream of opening a huge no-kill shelter and saving every death-row animal there is. But alas, I am poor.
Outside of work, I do little to nothing, but one thing I have recently gotten into is hiking. And when I hike, I only serve two things: nature and myself. The hiking is a precursor to something bigger, perhaps bigger than me. I serve nature by just taking care while I'm out and about and taking in the sights. I serve myself because every time I go to the mountains I get stronger. And if you can't be strong for yourself, who the hell else are you gonna be strong for??
What are your passions, hobbies, and/or aspirations?
My passions are animals, reading, writing, hiking, and my family. It is my plan to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2020. It wasn't a huge coming-of-age thing; I kind of decided it on a whim. Now I'm in too deep!
I also say animals because I can't stand the injustice that befalls cats and dogs who can't speak for themselves.
I haven't been reading as much as I'd like lately, but I do have an Audible account which I count as reading! Writing is something I've also fallen out of, but I have been blogging a bit, so maybe that helps. I consider my friends to be family because at the end of the day, I'd do anything for them. I'll fight tooth and nail for my family. They will always be the most important part of my life.
My passions are animals, reading, writing, hiking, and my family. It is my plan to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2020. It wasn't a huge coming-of-age thing; I kind of decided it on a whim. Now I'm in too deep!
I also say animals because I can't stand the injustice that befalls cats and dogs who can't speak for themselves.
I haven't been reading as much as I'd like lately, but I do have an Audible account which I count as reading! Writing is something I've also fallen out of, but I have been blogging a bit, so maybe that helps. I consider my friends to be family because at the end of the day, I'd do anything for them. I'll fight tooth and nail for my family. They will always be the most important part of my life.
What communities or groups are you a part of that have been instrumental in helping you feel like you belong?
When I was in high school, there weren't a whole lot of groups around for inclusion unless you played sports, which I didn't. But once I got to college, there were tons of student organizations. I joined PRIDE and Zoiks!, a comedy group. I'd also say the Tumblr community does a really good job of making me feel like I belong. I can bounce ideas and questions off of them, and they either validate or correct me. Even though I have not met a majority of the people on there, I have actually made some pretty great friends that I even talk to in real life.
The millennial generation has been labeled as entitled, tech-savvy, non-religious, non-direct communicators, and financially irresponsible.
What do you think about these labels?
The thing with labels is that they work sometimes, but they are unfair to pin on everybody. For me, I would say that I am not super tech-savvy, but I know how to Google stuff. I am not super religious (in fact I would say I am an atheist), but there are things I do believe in that give me comfort and whatnot- something I won't really get into! I myself am financially irresponsible, at least I used to be. I'm much better with money now. My sister on the other hand, who I also consider a Millennial, is really freakin' good with money. And of course I think it's good to talk about stuff. But damn if there aren't a ton of people who don't know how to talk about their feelings!
When I was in high school, there weren't a whole lot of groups around for inclusion unless you played sports, which I didn't. But once I got to college, there were tons of student organizations. I joined PRIDE and Zoiks!, a comedy group. I'd also say the Tumblr community does a really good job of making me feel like I belong. I can bounce ideas and questions off of them, and they either validate or correct me. Even though I have not met a majority of the people on there, I have actually made some pretty great friends that I even talk to in real life.
The millennial generation has been labeled as entitled, tech-savvy, non-religious, non-direct communicators, and financially irresponsible.
What do you think about these labels?
The thing with labels is that they work sometimes, but they are unfair to pin on everybody. For me, I would say that I am not super tech-savvy, but I know how to Google stuff. I am not super religious (in fact I would say I am an atheist), but there are things I do believe in that give me comfort and whatnot- something I won't really get into! I myself am financially irresponsible, at least I used to be. I'm much better with money now. My sister on the other hand, who I also consider a Millennial, is really freakin' good with money. And of course I think it's good to talk about stuff. But damn if there aren't a ton of people who don't know how to talk about their feelings!
Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself and how you interpret the millennial generation?
Being a Millennial is not my main identity. It is a part of me, but I don't think it affects every aspect of my life. There are so many things that are bigger than us, bigger than the generation we were born into. That being said...the thing with the Millennial Gen is that there are billions of us, ok? So I cannot and will not speak for all of us. But I can say that we are here, and we are constantly changing. Every day there is something that takes a piece of us and molds us, smashes us down and twists us, creating something new and fantastic. We are here, teeth bared and ready to fight for things we consider unjust. We create and destroy and we believe a luminous multitude of things. We are your children and your children's children. Stop acting like we're out to destroy your lives. We want that high-pedestaled American Dream just as much as anyone. Happiness. Let them eat avocado toast.
Being a Millennial is not my main identity. It is a part of me, but I don't think it affects every aspect of my life. There are so many things that are bigger than us, bigger than the generation we were born into. That being said...the thing with the Millennial Gen is that there are billions of us, ok? So I cannot and will not speak for all of us. But I can say that we are here, and we are constantly changing. Every day there is something that takes a piece of us and molds us, smashes us down and twists us, creating something new and fantastic. We are here, teeth bared and ready to fight for things we consider unjust. We create and destroy and we believe a luminous multitude of things. We are your children and your children's children. Stop acting like we're out to destroy your lives. We want that high-pedestaled American Dream just as much as anyone. Happiness. Let them eat avocado toast.
Think you have a story to tell about being a millennial? Comment below or message me today at eden.tullis@gmail.com!