Gen Z Panelists Weigh in on Their Top Issues

Three Annual Conference panelists share their biggest worries, where they see the church and their hope for the future

Last month, the North Texas Annual Conference featured Gen Z voices throughout the conference, including at Laity Session and in a keynote panel discussion. Below, we follow up with three panelists we met at Annual Conference to hear more about the issues that weigh the heaviest for them and how they can envision the church addressing them head-on. 

Isaiah McDaniels, 27

If you had to narrow it down, what would you say are the top three societal issues that you care most about?

If I had to narrow it down to three societal issues, I would say gun violence, safety and the economy.

These issues are important to me because I care about the safety of all of us, including economic safety. I believe that with price increases on everything, those who are not as financially secure are not able to afford the basic things they need, like food, shelter and insurance.

What do you think the church can do to address those issues?

I'm not sure what the church can do to address the issue more than continuing to ask these questions to more young people. Even though I may not have a solution, maybe there is someone who does.

What gives you hope for our future as a society?

I see hope in that we are looking to the younger generations for their perspectives and allowing these voices to have a seat at the table and be heard!

Jorja Sipe, 17

If you had to narrow it down, what would you say are the top three societal issues that you care most about?

The top three social issues that I care most about would have to be gun violence, women’s rights and abortion laws.

Women’s rights are something I advocate for strongly because I do not want to keep fighting the same fight about women’s rights that my mother did 20 years ago, and I refuse to let my daughters have to fight it as well. America has made far too many things that should not be political, political. My body as a young female should never be in the hands of someone else. I should be able to do whatever I please, unless it does harm, without someone telling me it's wrong.

If America wants to put an end to killing children, let’s first regulate/ban the weapons that have led to over 200 mass shootings within America in just the last six months. Let’s talk about suicide. How about drugs, what can America do better about drug abuse besides just saying they are wrong and can ruin your life? Whether a woman decides to have an abortion or not is the least of America's worries right now. My body should not be a political issue.

What do you think the church can do to address those issues?

I think the conference is doing a wonderful job of writing resolutions to support these social issues, but we could do a better job. Churches could spread more information to their congregations about gun violence. It is time to pick a side, there is really no more gray area within America right now. We are so divided, the NTC churches must physically and verbally put out in the atmosphere that we are supporting, advocating, safe and welcoming churches.

What gives you hope for our future as a society?

What gives me hope is really my friends; I have a great group of friends around me. My church has such an amazing group of people. Looking at the faces of my friends, I know that we are not going down without a fight. I see hope in Rory, Jadyn, Emilio, Mia, Neeley. Their attitudes and love prove to me that if more people in this world act like them, we are in a good place. Our generation is the generation that will change the world, my friends prove this to me time and time again.

Nathan Lewis, 24

If you had to narrow it down, what would you say are the top three societal issues that you care most about?

Healthcare access, the gun epidemic and wage disparity between the average worker and CEO – more specifically wages not holding consistent with increases in inflation and productivity – are three key issues that concern me.

Addressing these three fundamental societal issues would elevate the quality of life of most people. I believe they are connected to basic rights of humanity: medical health, physical safety and food and shelter.

What do you think the church can do to address those issues?

Jesus actively worked to create a healthier, safer world free of economic exploitation. I believe churches have the ability to create real change on these three socio-political fronts by adopting the “pro-life tactic” that has been used by the Christian Right for nearly 50 years. Making universal health care, gun regulation and wage fairness such an intrinsic part of the DNA of a United Methodist Christian would ensure that these goals drive their every socio-political move.

What gives you hope for our future as a society?

GoFundMe being the largest healthcare provider, school shootings and record-high disparities between CEO and worker pay are uniquely American problems amongst developed countries. The solutions already exist in the real world.

Published: Wednesday, July 26, 2023