This week, Ms. magazine launched a brand-new limited series podcast, The Z Factor: Gen Z’s Voice and Vote.
I’m Anoushka Chander—a senior at Harvard, an activist and host of The Z Factor. My generation, Gen Z, grew up amid a global pandemic, rapid climate change, rampant gun violence, democratic backsliding, and movements for women’s rights and racial justice. We were born between the mid 1990s and early 2010s, so we are between the ages of 12 and 27. As we reach the cusp of adulthood, many young people are wondering: What comes next?
In the opening episode, I welcome Anil Cacodcar, student chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, which conducts the leading biannual poll of young Americans. In the episode, we discuss the role of social media in the 2024 election, how youth voter enthusiasm has skyrocketed, and youth concerns about finding affordable housing and a fair-paying job in this economy.