Welcome to the 4^th installment of Conversations with Friends.  I am so delighted to share this conversation with you, for a variety of reasons.  Firstly, I always find it so refreshing when I am reminded just how much we can learn from each other.  As I was putting this piece together I realized that I/we often misjudge people of a certain age (and no, I don’t mean “older people” as the term is sometimes attached to) for not having fully formed opinions about contemporary issues.  Who am I talking about? Teenagers.  That’s right, Generation Z (for those keeping track, this is the generation after the much publicized and highly commercially coveted Millennials).

You see, I find myself becoming more and more curious about reactions and opinions about the Presidential race. Truth be told, I often find myself saying “What?”, “Huh?” and “Really?!”  as I watch the news…and it’s a completely visceral reaction.  And it’s not really even about “politics”, I mean who really wants to get into that discussion or debate at this point?  (For the record and in case you were wondering, I don’t.) No, it’s more about the fact that I am simply astounded as I witness what is happening.  I feel that we are watching, in real time, the makings of a revolution.  And when something is really making me curious, I start weaving it into almost all the conversations I have.

This brings me to last week, I was having a lovely and lively conversation with my overwhelmingly astute friend Stella, who happens to be all of 16. I asked her what she and her friends think about the election (this of course was prompted by getting word from my 14-year-old nephew that the mock election they had in their high school resulted in Sanders victory (Potomac, MD)).  Not only did the following surprisingly revealing conversation unfold, but I was reminded how fantastic it is to talk with a “Z”.

Hilarie: You go to Beacon High School (Public School in Manhattan), and are in 11^th grade….what’s the conversation like about the Presidential race amongst your friends? Are your peers politically active? If so, how?

Stella: Kids at my school are extremely politically active… there seems to be nonstop chatter about the election wherever I go. I have yet to hear anyone speak positively towards a republican candidate, though, so the conversation is pretty one-sided. Welcome to public school in NYC! You see a lot of “Bernie for President” drawn with puffy paint on American Apparel denim backpacks.

Hilarie: Which candidates have made the most impact with people your age?

Stella: Bernie Sanders has really taken my demographic by storm. I’ve never seen so much collective support for a political candidate before. On the other hand, Trump has impacted people my age in a different sense– by pushing them further to the left than I had ever imagined possible.

Hilarie: Why do you think Sanders is so appealing? And what do you mean by your comment about Trump?

Stella: Sanders essentially presents what my generation believes to be the new frontier– voicing many of the opinions and principles that people my age consider vital to our success as a nation. His “college for free” ideal is definitely a big draw for fellow juniors who are concerned about college financials.  On the contrary, Trump is validating generalizations that these teens have long made about all conservative politicians, even if he is simply the most extreme of the bunch.

Hilarie: What political issues are you the most interested in?

Stella:   I’m into a little bit of everything– I’m a huge consumer of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, so I read some dynamic perspectives on both sides of any issue. I think foreign policy, however complex, is fascinating. I also really enjoy domestic fiscal policy. (Editor’s note: Yes, she’s 16)

Hilarie: What issues are the most talked about? And most important?

Stella: To teenagers, the most critical issues are the social ones: institutional racism, abortion, same-sex marriage, gender equality, strengthening the middle class. These are issues that are they can easily contextualize into their own lives.

Hilarie: Do you talk about how you can make a difference?

Stella:   Absolutely, and I think we all are working towards change in different ways. There are a number of clubs at Beacon that work to amend social and political dilemmas, both locally and internationally: United Colors of Beacon, Gay Straight Alliance, Girls Learn International, Women’s Empowerment Club— the list goes on and on. I recently founded an organization called the Girls Do Math Initiative, a math tutoring program led by a group of female peers advanced in math.

Hilarie: That’s terrific, I am so impressed with your level of personal activism.  Is activism part of the “main stream”?

Stella: Absolutely… it isn’t rare for a kid to feel socially excluded because they aren’t part of the same activist group as everyone else. New York public schools lack pep rallies and football games to create a sense of community and togetherness, so I think we make up for it by bonding over shared social causes.

Hilarie: How is activism perceived?  Is it cool?

Stella: Activism is more than cool: in many NYC public schools, one’s social standing revolves around their involvement in activist activities and extracurriculars. It’s expected that one should have strong (liberal) beliefs on a number of social and political issues, and become active in the conversation regarding those issues.

Hilarie: Tell me about your mock caucus?

Stella: We held a mock Iowa caucus in history class. Students were assigned to be either a political candidate or a Democrat/Republican who had to decide who to vote for. The caucus consisted of “Republicans” mockingly supporting Trump, and every “Democrat” flocking to Sanders leaving the poor boy who played Hillary Clinton alone in a corner.

Hilarie: This is SO interesting. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that! This brings up Hillary and it seems in this circumstance, she wasn’t a factor in the race. What are your thoughts?

Stella: Don’t get me wrong– I still have peers that support Hillary. Before Bernie came into the picture, she definitely had many more fans my age. I think because she’s been in the political sphere for so long, something about her seems a little dated, while Gen Z is attracted to fresh, new, and promising.

Hilarie: Who are the current favorites?

Stella: If you aren’t part of the 99% of students who are head over heels for Bernie, you are part of a handful of Republicans who support Marco Rubio.

Hilarie: Is anyone perceived as scary or ridiculous?

Stella: I hear many of my peers swear that they’ll move to Canada if Trump is elected President. (Editor’s note: As I try to remain objective, I am sure that I very interesting expression appeared on my face at this moment).

Hilarie: As a young woman, how do you feel about a women running for President?  Does it matter?

Stella: I think it is paramount that we have a female in such a position of power, but I think we should exercise precaution at the same time. Just because a candidate is female doesn’t mean she’s the right candidate, and it’s crucial that we wait for the perfect female candidate until we make a woman president.

Stella, I can say with all honesty, I really hope that you are one of the people that is leading us into the future!   Thank you, Madame Z!

Stella Rose Bernstein is currently a junior at The Beacon School in New York City and interning at Viener&Partners. She has studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Parsons: The New School for Design, and is currently enrolled at New York University. In the past few years, she has interned at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and Volunteers of America-Greater New York. She hopes to study business and economics in her higher education, and has recently founded a peer tutoring organization known as the Girls Do Math Initiative.

Hilarie S. Viener is Founder of Viener&Partners, a brand and marketing consultancy based in Manhattan. Her career has afforded her to work with over 100 brands from start-ups to Fortune 100’s, all over the globe.  Her prior experience includes roles as Executive Vice President, North America of The Value Engineers, global brand consultancy and President of branding and digital agency, WONDER. Ms. Viener is a graduate of American University’s School of Communication in Washington, DC.  She began her career at Wells Rich Greene Advertising, then moved on to roles at Griffin Bacal, Lowe & Partners and BBDO.
 

For more information or to find out more, please go to www.vienerandpartners.com