• by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, October 28, 2024

Inside Brooklyn, New York's newly opened glassed-in Refinery, atop the renovated Domino Sugar Factory, an extraordinary convergence took place last week.  Fortune 500 executives sat alongside racial justice activists, TikTok stars with millions of followers engaged with nonprofit leaders, and corporate decision-makers listened intently to Gen Z change-makers. This wasn't your typical industry conference. It was ZCON 2024, a carefully orchestrated attempt to bridge generational and institutional divides.

"In this room, we have something that almost never exists," declared Ziad Ahmed, UTA's head of next gen and ZCON co-leader alongside Olivia Frary, UTA marketing executive and head of ZCON. "We have corporate executives from the biggest companies in the world alongside the most trailblazing youth activists on the frontlines of issues ranging from fighting for racial justice to intersectional activism to content creators with tens of millions of followers to nonprofit leaders all under one roof. That doesn't happen that often."

Under Ahmed and Frary's leadership, ZCON transformed traditional conference dynamics into something more urgent and authentic. "There is so much confusion and division in the world that exists because these disparate communities are not talking to each other," Ahmed noted, explaining the event's mission to build bridges between those working within systems and those pushing for change from the outside.

The two-day event offered a fascinating glimpse into how Gen Z is redefining institutional change. During the "Give Main Character Energy" panel powered by LinkedIn, entrepreneur Tejas Hullur and activist Nadya Okamoto shared insights about authenticity in the creator economy, demonstrating how Gen Z approaches content creation as a means to an end rather than the end itself. This theme of authentic communication carried through to the "Made it Out of the Groupchat" panel, where activists Amelie Zilber and Cameron Kasky discussed how Gen Z is reshaping political discourse.

The event's structure reflected Gen Z's multifaceted approach to change-making. From the "Quiet Quitting? No, Loud Leading" panel discussing the future of work and education, to "Ideas Changing the World" presentations, ZCON demonstrated how Gen Z is simultaneously working within and disrupting traditional systems.

Day two's focus on action and impact featured compelling conversations about political engagement and social change. The "Make Your Voice Heard" panel, featuring activists Alexia Leclercq and Sofia Ongele, emphasized Gen Z's crucial role in shaping the 2024 election. Meanwhile, Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez's fireside chat on "The Politics of Joy" offered a refreshing perspective on using positivity as a tool for change.

The conference's emphasis on practical action alongside discussion set it apart from typical industry gatherings. The afternoon breakout sessions with organizations like The Jed Foundation, Born This Way Foundation, and When We All Vote transformed talk into tangible engagement. This combination of high-level dialogue and ground-level activism epitomizes Gen Z's approach to change: thoughtful, multifaceted, and action-oriented.

Even the social elements were purposeful. The first day culminated in the inaugural ZCON Awards in partnership with Cosmopolitan magazine, where Editor in Chief Willa Bennett presented awards celebrating the most iconic Gen Z talent, trends, and brands of 2024. Day two closed with a performance by Maiya the Don, but the real finale was the series of activations with nonprofit partners, demonstrating ZCON's commitment to moving beyond conversation to concrete action.

ZCON 2024 revealed something crucial about Gen Z's approach to institutional change: Rather than wholesale rejection of existing systems, they're creating new pathways for cooperation while maintaining their distinctive voice and values. The presence of major brands like LinkedIn, Spotify, and GoFundMe alongside grassroots activists and nonprofit leaders suggested a new model for corporate-activist engagement, one where authenticity and impact matter more than traditional hierarchies.

In bringing together such diverse perspectives under Ahmed and Frary's leadership, ZCON has created a new template for how different generations and sectors can work together to address society's most pressing challenges. The event demonstrated that meaningful change doesn't just come from confrontation or collaboration alone, but from creating spaces where both can coexist productively.