Guest MINDSETTER™ Erlin Rogel: 2015 is The Year of the Millennials
Friday, January 02, 2015
It’s 2015, and like the song of a tired bird the phrase “new year, new me” echoes throughout social domains setting the stage with optimism. Our politicians hum a similar tune as they too promise to alter the course of Rhode Island history and inject it with the cure for inefficiency and nepotism.
Rhode Island in 2015
2015 greets Rhode Island with smirk and a pat on the head. Our scroll of budgetary concerns haunts the likes of our governor-elect Gina Raimondo as she has come out in recent interviews to express her dismay with the state of the state. I, for one, appreciate her honesty and welcome being awakened with a splash to the face from a glass of water that is half-empty, instead of being lulled by the sweetness of a glass of water that is half-full.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe word “Hope” has been emblazoned on our state seal since 1636, and in 2015 the truth this motto inspires couldn’t be more relevant.
Underdogs
Everyone loves an underdog. Everyone loves the ascension of the tried and tested warrior, the overcomer of odds, and the worst to first narrative. It's all about the climatic exaltation that warms the coldest of the hearts. But nobody loves the perennial underdog. The underdog that breaks hearts, that underachieves, and habitually stings the spirit of its biggest supporters. In essence, the plight of an underdog is only endearing at the moment the underdog stops being an underdog. Rocky II wouldn't have been as good if Apollo Creed won again. This is the same reason why the 04 Red Sox will forever be remembered as legends and why no one cares about the Chicago Cubs.
Rhode Island is the underdog state. The"Underdog" movie -the tale of the furry little super hero- was even filmed here. We're the skeptical-of-the constitution, rogue burners of the Gaspee, butt of every government joke. For 300 years we've been scratching our heads, mixing solutions over Bunsen burners, wondering how the hell Massachusetts is able to be so great.
Rhode Island's Problems
The list of problems for our state is lengthy: constantly flirting with 8% unemployment, decaying infrastructure and crumbling roads, the lowliest education system in New England, one of the least friendly business climates in the country, some of the most burdensome commercial and property taxes around, back-breaking student debt, being the Mecca for nepotism and public corruption, and all of this resulting in an exodus of highly intelligent and innovative college grads.
And for some strange reason, as if battered into submission, I could never fathom calling another place home. Rhode Island is my roost because Rhode Island is in my roots. And despite all of its shortcomings, is a vibrant theatre of diversity, love, and triumph. (See Cumberland Little League Coach Speech).
The opportunity to change the course of our state and catapult it to magnificence lay before the feet of a sleeping giant- and no I’m not talking about the politicians.
The Millennials
Generation Y, better known as the Millenials, are the most highly educated generation of Americans to date (and we sure have paid the price for that education). We are 300,000 strong across our state, 70,000 in Providence alone, itching to flex our strength and insight in shaping public policy and infiltrating government. We will be known for more than just getting rid of the #spacebar and pioneering craft beer. The Millennial Professional Group of Rhode Island (MPGRI) was formed to facilitate the generational transition. Millennials aren't playing around anymore, we want in on the action. We grow tired of waiting for our turn to try and open the stubborn jar of remedies. We grow tired of suffering the bickering of our forefathers, of paying the price for oversight, of being sidelined from conference tables, of being underdogs.
We LOVE Rhode Island too much to keep letting it be mediocre.
MPGRI is a grassroots collective of concerned RI millennials who love this state too much to leave but are also tired of its lack of hustle. We are a collective of RI millennials who want to advocate for solutions and accountability.
MPGRI is the genesis of a new chapter in Rhode Island history in which the narrative turns. In this chapter RI is nationally beloved and championed. And it will all be made possible due to the efforts of a scrappy generation of advocates, known as millennials who came together to give our generation a voice at the table.
We are MPGRI: Central Falls Councilwoman Stephanie Gonzales; Assistant Attorney General Diony Garcia, third year law student Erlin Rogel, and RIC graduate Travis Escobar and we #chooseRI.
Talk to MPGRI
If you’re as blindly in love with Rhode Island as us, I ask that you reach out to us: find The Millennial Professional Group of Rhode Island on Facebook or email me at [email protected] and tell us about your story.
Erlin Rogel is a third year law student at Roger Williams University School of Law, founding member of the Rhode Island Hispanic Bar Association, and Providence fanatic.
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