As America Turns 250, Young People Are Leading a Modern Creative Renaissance
Introducing Team DSB.
Young people have always been at the forefront of change. Not by choice, but out of necessity.
Gen Z has come of age at a time of staggering wealth inequality, world-ending climate collapse, widespread gun violence, growing political repression, and pervasive racism.
To add insult to injury, we’re chronically misrepresented by the mainstream media, gaslit into thinking our material conditions are mere figments of our imaginations, and dismissed by the powers allegedly sworn in to serve us.
Today’s young people are navigating an unprecedented labyrinth of challenges. Still, we go forth, despite constantly being told that our visions for a better tomorrow are too grand, too naïve, too unrealistic.
But who, exactly, gets to enforce the bounds of what’s possible?
Our dreams for the future, our hopes for humanity, and the countless hours of work we put in week in and week out to defend and uplift our communities aren’t child’s play — they’re survival. They’re non-negotiable. America’s future is our inheritance, and we cannot afford to wait for permission to claim it.
At our media company and creative agency Team DSB, what drives us is the state of the world we’ve grown up in and the urgency we’ve always felt to change it.
We are in the middle of a narrative battle, and in this fight, young people have the most to lose. But as a generation of storytellers, artists, strategists, and connectors, we refuse to give in to the false comfort of silence. We’re taking back control of the narratives and destinies that have always been ours.
We’re ready for a creative renaissance.
This video, born from the imaginations of the young visionaries at Team DSB, is a love letter to all the young people who’ve been told they “dream too big” in the face of a vicious, oppressive, and inhumane status quo. It’s a declaration, a mission statement, and a proven commitment to see our fight for justice to the very end.
This project is a testament to what happens when you allow the power, creativity, and passion of young people working towards a better world to take center stage. It was an honor to work with folks across the Team DSB network:
Yetunde, an interdisciplinary artist and creative producer who collaborated with her college roommates to build a whole BIPOC artist residency and work space.
Damaryan, a PR strategist who leads culture-shifting campaigns for brands, and founded The PR Habitat, first digital space for young PR professionals.
Yeganeh, a political content creator whose career has spanned live shows, comedy, commentary, and countless cities.
Estella, a creative and strategist whose online thrift store during quarantine evolved into a dual Gen-Z sustainable product marketing management company for social impact and upcycle creators.
William, a photographer whose work orbits the family, Blackness, and Black masculinity.
Kevin, an intersectional climate justice activist who founded an international organization that supports and empowers marginalized youth.
These young people are absolute trailblazers in their respective fields; many of them are even creating their own. And the gag is, they’re all under 30.
No longer will we accept age as a barrier to making change. Our youth informs our perspective, and that isn’t a weakness; it’s an invaluable strength. We’re young people with proven track records of pushing the limits of what gatekeepers swear is possible. We’re young people using our voices to make sense of the present, and daring to imagine what should come next.
To adults and allies: you’re going to want to work with us. We’re a force to be reckoned with, brimming with fresh new ideas that this moment needs. We’re done waiting around for seats at institutional tables; we’re actively building our own.
To young people: remember that the pen is in your hands. What will you create?