Learn to harness Gen Z change from some of the people helping lead the charge in their own ways: Abi Marquez, Gab Mejia, Eara Cayanga, and Elijah Canlas.
The socially conscious generation. The chronically online generation. The generation that has ruined corporate culture, threatens traditional family values, loves sweet treats and memes and dancing on the internet. The first to be born during the internet age and the second-youngest generation to be alive right now: Generation Z. Everybody’s talking about them, and every company and campaign is desperate to understand them and win their favor. Why? Because, as is the case with all youths, they are the upcoming leaders and consumers of the world. And their values will shape the direction that society will take moving into the future.
Gen Z is loud and proud, as they should. There’s a lot going on in the world, and the gift of social media has given them the ability to let their voices be heard, to connect with like-minded people, and to spread useful information to a large amount of people in a short amount of time with little to no effort. That is power, but also to wield carefully.
On Elijah: Jacket and shorts by @wear_your_culture , Wear Your Culture, Button-down shirt by @nobodyclothing , Nobody Clothing, Clogs by @aleysmnl , Aleys, On Abi: Puffy Jacket by @wear_your_culture , Wear Your Culture, Kumot dress by @tnj_tahinijimboy , Tahi Ni Jimboy, Heels by @smfashion , SM Fashion, On Eara: Button-down dress by @by__gia , By Gia, Kumot dress by @jaggy.apparel , Jaggy, Heels by @smfashion , SM Fashion, On Gab: Button-down shirt by @nobodyclothing , Nobody Clothing, Vest and trousers by @rimasarmiento , Rima Sarmiento, Clogs by @aleysmnl , Aleys
If history has taught us anything, it’s that: when enough people truly care about something, those people can really shake things up. They can affect change. And, oh buddy, does Gen Z care about A LOT of things. While one cannot begin to accurately describe an entire chunk of humanity with just a few lines of text, identifying the things they will march in the streets for and post to social media with their names plastered on it can give us an indication of what they’re about.
Equal access to basic needs. The ability to help each other. The protection and preservation of our Earth. The celebration of cultural diversity and what we can learn from each other. These are just some of the things that Gen Z cares about. And to name a few of the people leading the charge in these advocacies: content creator Abi Marquez who advocates for the global recognition of Filipino Food and Culture, photographer and environmental engineer Gab Mejia who brings to the forefront the ecological crises facing us today, student leader Eara Cayanga who encourages the youth to go beyond the four walls of the classroom to reach out and help others, and actor Elijah Canlas who uses his artform and platform to tell and preserve meaningful stories that can galvanize a nation.
CAUGHT IN 4K
Taking a closer look at the perception that Gen Z are having it harder than previous generations can help us understand why Gen Z is as active as it is. As Elijah Canlas puts it, “I think of a generation that cares much more – that cares about coexisting much more than the previous generations and being kind to each other has been something that is essential to this generation. And caring in general, because everything is right in our faces because of our devices. We’re fed all this information and we end up caring so much sometimes that that could be our downfall. But, at the same time, I’m proud to say that this generation is a caring generation.”
On Elijah: Button-down shirt and pants by @macopa.here , Macopa, Jacket by @travelfundbysiriusdan , Travelfund by Siriusdan, Clogs by @aleysmnl , Aleys, On Abi: Bandeau top and skirt by @macopa.here , Macopa, Jacket by @travelfundbysiriusdan , Travelfund by Siriusdan, Heels by @andantefootwear , andanté, On Eara: Top and skirt by @macopa.here , Macopa, Vest by @travelfundbysiriusdan , Travelfund by Siriusdan, Heels by @andantefootwear , andanté, On Gab: Button-down shirt and pants by @macopa.here , Macopa, Vest by @travelfundbysiriusdan , Travelfund by Siriusdan, Clogs by @aleysmnl , Aleys
When faced with the reality of shared suffering, it’s impossible to look away. Our humanity simply will not allow for it. With social media capturing in real time the experiences of others we are able to look into the lives of others and see the differences, but also the similarities. “We’re living in such a precarious moment of our time, you know. And we have the shared struggle, shared sufferings, shared actions that we need to do to kind of fulfill these dreams that we have as a generation,” Gab Mejia expresses.
Social media then empowers us to care about things that are going on around us, even if you aren’t such an avid user. Eara Cayanga recalls, “I only started using social media I think at a very late age. So I started using social media at the age of 16 and I think even at that age it was a very powerful tool because there are a lot of things that I find out first through social media and I feel like it’s one of or if not the biggest connection I have to the people in the world that we currently live in.”
LOUDER AND LOUDER
One of the reasons that social media has gained the level of influence that it has is that it’s a two-way platform. As much as people get access to bodies of information and the accounts of others, users are also able to share their own experiences with the world. “That’s why people are extra passionate now – because we have a platform,” Elijah explains while also adding the catch of: “We’re given a platform that could extend to the whole world, basically, and if you don’t use that to our advantage, then, we’re doing something wrong.”
On Eara: Jacket by @angkanworld , ANGKAN, Top and skirt by @edited_limited , Edited Limited, Heels by @andantefootwear , andanté, On Abi: Cropped jacket by @monohomme.studios , MONOHOMME, Vest top and skirt by @edited_limited , Edited Limited, Heels by @charleskeithofficial , CHARLES & KEITH
The ability to speak up for ourselves and for others is a gift – one that Gen Z does not take for granted. This trademark outspokenness is one of this generation’s greatest strengths, but also one of its potential pitfalls. “Attention is the currency of today and social media is where everybody’s attention is,” says Abi Marquez. As a content creator, she knows very well how the influence that these platforms have is a double-edged sword. She warns, “A lot of people can bandwagon on it. Or if I have no sure opinion of this social issue, I go to the internet and everybody who I think is cool, or who the majority supports, this is their opinion. I kind of echo or just mimic their beliefs or their values.”
With so many voices and perspectives out there to listen to, it can be challenging to discern what the right path to take is. That’s why, for Elijah, using the power of information access is important, “We have unlimited resources to help out and to educate ourselves and that’s what we need. We really need to educate ourselves because we don’t know everything. Not even everything on the internet is true, so we have to be careful with the information that we digest.” Abi takes this a step further by imploring us to be mindful not just in the way we consume information but the way we share it, “So, maliban sa paggamit ng social media as a platform, I think it’s also a matter of being responsible on what you put out there. And, to talk about meaningful, it’s about sharing valuable things. Either educational or entertaining, just to make sure na positive yung impact that you leave on people’s lives.”
On Elijah: Jacket by @liwaywayph, Barong top by @wear_your_culture, Wear Your Culture, jeans by @edited_limited , Edited Limited, Clogs by @aleysmnl, Aleys, On Gab: Jacket and jeans by @edited_limited , Edited Limited, Vest by @travelfundbysiriusdan , Travelfund by Siriusdan, Jacket by @colebysarahcornejo , COLE, Clogs by @aleysmnl , Aleys
By focusing on value – the truth value of the content we receive and the intellectual value of the content we push out into the world – we are able to turn potential into something real and tangible. As Gab states, “People are now recognizing their own power. Especially the youth, especially the new generations, we’re seeing a lot of truths be unveiled, like the injustices that are happening to democracy, to human rights, to planetary rights.” Abi concurs, “The best way to give meaningful change to everyone is to fill that platform with valuable information.”
GOING BEYOND SCREENS
Enacting meaningful change by improving the quality of content that gets widely circulated is only half of the equation. At the end of the day, though the majority of our lives are now spent in digital spaces, we still live in a physical world. There is an entire reality that exists and lives and breathes beyond the confines of our screens. Touch grass, as they say. After all, what happens online and offline both chug along sometimes independently from one another. Mostly, they tend to mirror and influence each other. As such, using your platform to bring attention to causes and spur others to action is a good place to start. And it should serve to enhance in-person efforts.
Elijah declares, “Social media and the internet aren’t the only platforms where you can help. There’s so many other ways that you can help. I’ve done community work, field work, outreaches, charity programs, and those are completely different from helping out or trying to educate yourself online. Seeing them firsthand or seeing the societal issues that these communities face firsthand, the empathy and the urge to just want to help and your passion for all these advocacies just grow deeper. And I feel like that’s what we need to do. We need to connect outside. We need to step outside. We can’t just keep living inside our phones and laptops.”
The ability to step outside our screens and selves can be summoned easily if we focus on the prize: a better world. “Knowing that there’s a greater good coming out of the things we do and the things we love is what pushes us to stay persistent in the pursuit of our goals,” Eara expresses. “Just make sure that you’re always there to give back to the community that ensures that you’re okay. Our community contributes to who we are today.” Staying connected to the larger community we live in is something that social media both helps and hurts in Gab’s opinion, “As much as social media’s original intention was really meant to connect people, sadly, the unfortunate truth is that it’s been disconnecting a lot of people. People feel more isolated than ever, even if they have hundreds of thousands of followers. But there’s a lot of good changes because it’s also this platform where people could share their own voice.”
The potential for community building is not lost on Abi, either, as she notes “I think social media, one of the good things about it is: since everybody’s vocal about it, or a lot of people are vocal about it, it’s also effective in community building. So, you meet people who have the same values as you, regardless of where they are. So, it’s actually easy to unite people for the same causes. In the same advocacy.” The key to this community building is having an open dialogue. She further clarifies, “It’s not just consuming [content]. It’s not just sharing, but also engaging, kasi discussions are very important.”
ARCHITECTING THE FUTURE BY FOCUSING ON THE NOW
With Gen Z at the reins, it feels as if our future is in good hands. Ironically, however, it seems that the path to a bright future relies on our ability to zero in on what’s going on around us right now. Gab maintains, “You have to be in the moment. You have to be present. You have to dance. You have to disconnect from social media and live life with the people around you, the people you care about, the communities that you work with. And using your voice beyond TikTok, beyond Instagram to actually be part of an active community.”
While it’s important to learn from the past and plan for the future, and the temptation and tendency to do this will always exist, we must remember that the story of our world is unfolding right before our eyes as sure as we sit and breathe in this moment. Eara urges, “I think people can become an active member of Generation Now by focusing on the present. The best way to move forward is just to accept that things have to change and whether good or bad change. Don’t let go of the possibility of creating a brighter future just because we’re so stuck in the practices of the past and the old mindsets that we have. So really just keeping an open mindset and being open to growth will help us be part of Generation Now.”
Photography by ALAN SEGUI
Assisted by JEO JINGCO and JOHN LIM
Creative and Fashion Direction by ANDRE JUDD CHANG
Art Direction by GELO QUIJENCIO
Styling by ANDRE JUDD CHANG
Fashion Assistant KURT ABONAL
Assisted by APRIL LOZADA
Production Design by ARJ MADZ of JAGGER STUDIOS
Makeup by ARON GUEVARA (Elijah and Eara) and KATHY ORAN (Abi and Gab)
Hair by PATTY CRISTOBAL (Abi, Eara, and Elijah) and SAM CORBILLON of TRIPLE LUCK HAIR STUDIO BY TLBNS (Gab)
Nails by CATHY BALINGASA of TRIPLE LUCK HAIR STUDIO BY TLBNS (Abi, Gab, and Elijah)
Shoot Coordination by JASMIN DASIGAN
Managing Editor RAFAEL BAUTISTA
Brand Associate BIANCA LAO
Grab your copy of the Generation Now MyZine Print Issue featuring Elijah, Abi, Gab, and Eara now HERE.
Continue Reading: What Filipino Food Brings To The Global Table With Abi Marquez
The Never-Ending Fight For Social Justice With Elijah Canlas
