An important lesson from a Zillennial

By Frances “Toni” Draper 
AFRO CEO and Publisher

Following the funeral service of a beloved family member, relatives and friends gathered in the church fellowship hall for a meal. My granddaughter, who celebrated her 26th birthday the day before, sat at a table with older relatives and participated fully as the conversation moved from topic to topic.

After hearing several of her thoughtful and meaningful contributions, one cousin turned to her and said, “I’m pleasantly surprised by how engaged you are in this conversation.”

“Well,” she replied, “I’m what generational researchers call a ‘zillennial.’”

She explained that “zillennials” occupy the space between millennials and Generation Z. They remember childhood before smartphones became constant companions yet came of age in a fully digital world.

That led us into a broader conversation about technology, education and the ways different generations experience the world. She noted that many young people today are navigating a world where phones, social media and screens compete constantly for their attention. She also worried that some students are entering college and the workforce without strong reading, writing and communication skills.

Across the country, thousands of students have either graduated or are preparing to graduate from high school and college. Families are celebrating. Students are receiving diplomas. Commencement speakers are offering encouragement and hope.

This raises an important question: Are we equipping young people with the skills they need not merely to earn diplomas but also to navigate an increasingly complex world?

I applaud the growing number of school systems that have banned or significantly limited cellphone use during the school day. Banning phones will not magically improve test scores or solve every challenge facing schools. But it does acknowledge a simple truth: Learning requires attention.

This is not an argument against technology. Students need technology and must learn how to use it wisely. But there is a difference between technology that supports learning and technology that constantly competes with it.

And we cannot continue to blame every educational challenge on COVID-19. The pandemic disrupted learning, and its effects were real. But six years later, it cannot explain every academic shortcoming.

My granddaughter attended public schools, navigated college during the COVID era and graduated last month. She is hardly unique. Thousands of young people did the same. Their success does not erase the challenges many students faced, but it reminds us that strong reading, writing and communication skills remain attainable when families, schools, students and policymakers make them a priority.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized we were talking about something much bigger.

We were talking about literacy, opportunity and preparation.

Literacy has always been a civil rights issue. The ability to read critically, write clearly, communicate effectively and think independently opens doors to education, employment, entrepreneurship and civic participation.

It influences who gets hired, who gets promoted, who starts businesses, who leads organizations and who helps shape public policy. It influences who is prepared to seize opportunities and who is not.

Some schools have even reintroduced cursive writing. Whether one agrees with that decision or not, it misses the larger point. Employers are not complaining that young people cannot write in cursive. They are complaining that too many struggle to write clearly, communicate professionally, follow instructions, think critically and sustain attention.

The goal of education is not to produce better screen users. It is to produce better thinkers.

Parents should encourage reading and conversation at home. Educators should continue creating classrooms where attention and critical thinking are valued. Policymakers should support reasonable efforts to reduce digital distractions during the school day.

The diplomas students receive this season represent accomplishment. The challenge before us is to ensure they also represent preparation—for work, for leadership and for life.

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