Welcome to the Millennial Challenge

In the new millennium, unlike any generation before, change agents and their social causes have a digital billboard from which to "broadcast" and "engage" millions of people. The platform is on-line, whether via mobile device or on YouTube, and it's 24/7. New and personal media is changing the world and it is not a short-lived fad; it's here to stay.

Millennials (those born between 1978 and 1998) are at the forefront of those using technology to enable social change. They learn about issues from web sites, blogs and emails from friends and counterparts in emerging market countries. Millennials donate to pet causes online and use technology to spread the word about efforts to fight genocide, hunger, and poverty in our time. They also use the web to find the cheapest air-travel to Kampala or Cambodia for a spring, summer or winter break cultural exchange.

Questions and challenges, however, remain:

-Will Millennials learn the lesson that band-aid approaches to development are not sustainable?

-Are they ready to nurture and incubate ideas and solutions with their counterparts in cities, states and countries around the world?

-Are Millennials up and ready for the long-term challenge?

My name is Jeremy Goldberg and I will be your emcee [MC] to understanding the new ways young people are approaching changing the world. I bring with me the perspective of a millennial who has participated and facilitated conferences from the US to Morocco to Uganda, worked with and run NGO projects, organized and mentored young people at high-schools and universities, engaged in networks for young professionals working in the private sector, and attended youth summits in the United States and Africa.

These experiences have given me a fresh and informed view about millennials’ innovative nature, their trends in giving and service and development around the world. This blog, Millennial Challenge, or MC, is dedicated to exploring how today's IGeneration approaches social change, building global networks, and philanthropy – for many Millennials changing the world is experiential, not just sending a blind check MC will also look at the personal media and other technology Millennials use to address serious global development issues and challenges.

MC will cover a broad range of topics including my work with youth in Africa and Latin America and conversations with young philanthropists and social change agents in the United States and abroad. Some of my articles will address my trips to Africa, visits to U.S. universities and donor agency seminars, social marketing events, and a look inside the Washington, DC NGO beltway. I will also blog about topics in which Millennials are engaged, as well as what is on the horizon. I'll also interview and share insights from leading experts in the field of philanthropy, technology and social investment. Monthly, I'll have a "Guest MC" featured on the blog.

These are exciting times and I look forward to having you join me in this new and up-beat conversation about them.

Let the challenge begin.