Facing Arizona: I am a hard-working millennial, and I am proud

Editor’s note: Facing Arizona is a series that will appear on KTAR.com and social media  — follow KTAR News on Instagram and Facebook for updates — highlighting unique and everyday people across our state and give you a glimpse into their lives.

My name is Emma Felts, and I am 24 years old.

I was born in Colorado and moved to Arizona when I was a child. I moved back to Colorado to join the military, and after I discharged, I moved back to Arizona.

Being 24, I am in that grey area of generations: The tail end of the millennials and leading the pack of Generation Z, so to speak.

I find it alarming that the term “millennial” has become more of a slur used to describe the supposed negative stereotypes of a group of people rather than a generational demographic. There is a percentage of people who feel that millennials are lazy, self-entitled, sensitive and weak. That we walk around without a clue and no direction of where we are going.

I work with a couple of people who believe all millennials are no good, that they are incapable of accomplishing anything significant — and that is just not true.

All millennials are not lazy, or unmotivated, or overly sensitive. Many of us have direction, we know who we are, where we are going, and we are proud to have served our country.

Just because the media, mainstream and social alike, chooses to highlight and profile the bad apples of our bunch, doesn’t mean each millennial lacks the aptitude to contribute to our society in a meaningful way. — Emma