The Millennial Microphone: Columbus we gotta Practice what we Preach

Columbus, I'm Upset.

 We ask for change. We demand accountability. We cry out for truth. Yet far too often—when it's time to show up—we’re nowhere to be found.

 In the midst of what some might describe as an ongoing slander campaign—on all sides—we’ve had opportunities to speak truth, to stand united, and to support one another. But instead, we’ve let things as simple as the rain keep us away.

 We say we want better. But how can change take root when we fail to water it with action?

 As a concerned citizen, I’m troubled by the growing gap between our online voices and our real-world presence. Too many of us are practicing social media activism without putting skin in the game. We are loud on Instagram and TikTok but silent in the rooms where decisions are made.

 I want to take a moment to thank Bro. Marvin Broadwater Sr., Rev. J.H. Flakes III, and Rev. Mark Lawrence for consistently showing up—week after week, month after month—to speak truth to a council that has, at times, shown little regard for justice. Their example is one of courage and consistency.

 But I must ask—where is my generation?

 Millennials. Generation X. Generation Y. We’re the ones up to bat. Many of us are in college, building careers, starting families. And yet we’re reaping the consequences of a system we’ve made very few deposits into. We want the benefits of civic progress, but too often we opt out of the responsibility.

 If we truly want to see Columbus transformed, we must all get involved. We can’t just talk about it—we have to be about it. The future of our city depends not just on what we post, but on what we do.

 So I challenge us all: Be the change you want to see in your city. Show up. Speak out. Stand firm. Our city is worth the fight—and it’s a fight that requires more than likes and retweets.