Fueling Emerging Leaders Through Intergenerational Activism

By Jasmine Liu

​With all that is going on in our world, experienced activists may be wondering, who is going to continue this fight when I am no longer able to? At Global Citizens Circle (GCC), we ask ourselves this question regularly and are always working to bring voices and perspectives of all ages to the table. 
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As we celebrated our 50th anniversary, this question became more urgent. Who will carry GCC’s work on for the next 50 years? For the next 100 years? This question led to a new committee comprised of GCC’s youth ambassadors, president and executive director, and assistant director, spanning across four generations. 
 
As we discussed, brainstormed, and theorized, the topic of ageism/youngism kept coming up. How do we combat all types of ageism as we try to bring multiple generations together with different experiences, demographics, areas of interest, etc. to make real change that requires a lot of intergenerational interactions? 
 
A question that often comes up in the Q&A portion of our circles is, “How do you keep yourself from getting burnt out, or feeling hopeless, as you fight for positive change year after year, often not seeing that change come to fruition?” When I hear this question, I hear the growing hopelessness in our world, which I am often affected by and it is part of why I love working with GCC – they give hope. 
 
With multiple genocides occurring globally, surging costs of living, and the dream of homeownership fading, it’s easy to feel disillusioned. Rights are being stripped from U.S. citizens who never thought such losses possible, and we’re all more isolated than ever after a pandemic that deepened and exposed mental health struggles. In the face of such constant crisis, it’s tempting to wonder, “Why even bother?” 
 
We want emerging leaders (and seasoned leaders) to be able to work through these inevitable barriers and continue working towards a world filled with more hope and equitable outcomes. We want everyone to be able to see the good, the hope, and the love that is just as abundant, if not more, as the hate we tend to see first. This is a large part of what we hope to do with our new Emerging Leaders Program.
 
Every month, we have people of all ages across the globe reach out asking how they can get involved with GCC’s work, whether that be through programs, speaker events, on-the-ground work, connecting with other like-minded activists, or to stay in the know on important topics that affect us all. We do our best to keep them informed and share resources but would like to do more in creating community and helpful connections. 
 
With all of this in mind, our committee decided to do just that; create a community where we can lift each other and each other’s work, share tips, tools and resources on how to make positive change, locally and globally, and provide support on their journeys. We chose to start with a cohort of about 16 emerging leaders who have reached out to us/worked with us in the past, showing interest in getting more involved with GCC and its partners’ work. 
 
Our kickoff was on October 3, 2024, and we had a wonderful time getting to know each other and learn about the incredible work these emerging leaders have already achieved and continue to do. You could tell that this was personal for them, and they had a real passion for making things better for their fellow Earthlings. 
 
My favorite part was hearing the “why” behind their work and what situations led to them concluding that they couldn’t sit by and watch injustices continue. That is where you could feel the power and dedication within them wash over you. I felt both joy and sorrow, but mostly hopeful. I learned that what they need is not encouragement to become an activist, but support in continuing their courageous activism. They need to be connected with the right people in the right places with the right amount of power and influence. 
 
We must come together and share our knowledge and experiences with an open mind and understanding that whether you are 60 or 16, passion is passion. Our experienced leaders have just as much to learn from our emerging leaders and we plan to assist in this learning and community-building by providing support structures that aide in advancing everyone’s work. 
 
This Emerging Leaders Program will evolve over time to meet the needs of the members, but we are starting by meeting quarterly while staying in touch via chat and casual check-ins in between. Our quarterly meetings will spotlight specific issues or sets of issues that are weighing on the minds of our members, featuring an elder(s) of the GCC community who can provide support, answer questions, and have a more casual give-and-take conversation. We want to remove the hierarchy and connect with each other in a mutually beneficial way that leads to the world being a better place where love always outweighs hate.

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Based in Southern California, Jasmine Liu [she/her] is a dedicated advocate for Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion with 20 years of experience across corporate and community-focused initiatives, and a particular passion for mental health destigmatization, accessibility, and religious diversity. Jasmine is the Youth Ambassador for Global Citizens Circle, where she also serves on the Programs and Partnerships committee. She co-leads their Emerging Leaders program, designed to foster cross-generational dialogue and empower emerging activists with support and resources. 
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With her partner and two beloved fur sons by her side, Jasmine is passionate about exploring new places, creating art, and embracing all things Halloween. Rooted in her belief that kindness and compassion are catalysts for change, Jasmine remains devoted to helping others and making a meaningful impact in every community she touches.

Please note: Each week, we invite members of the greater Global Citizens Circle community to contribute to GCC Voices. The views and opinions expressed in each blog post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Global Citizens Circle.

We want emerging leaders (and seasoned leaders) to be able to work through these inevitable barriers and continue working towards a world filled with more hope and equitable outcomes. 
                                                                                                                                                         -Jasmine Liu