Review
"This is the final word on Gen Z!
Ms Hayek, through meticulous research and sharp insight, has captured the essence of this vitally important generation. A must read for anyone hiring, working with, selling to and just plain understanding today's young adults and tomorrow's leaders!"
--Kary McilwainChief Marketing & Communications Officer, Lurie Children's Hospital, past President & CEO Young & Rubicam Chicago
"It's easy to dismiss the upcoming generation for their TikTok obsession and their Pollyanna activism, but do so at your peril, says social scientist and cultural consultant AnneMarie Hayek. This generation means business. They don't like how their elders are treating the earth, politics, or each other, and as teenagers and young adults - the oldest is 23 - they are already pushing to demolish the status quo. Hayek has done a masterful job at explaining the distinctions and defining characteristics of GenZ, making this a must-read for leaders who want to earn the business, the votes, and the trust of youth today, a cohort of remarkably connected, inclusive, fair-minded, can't-wait movers and shakers. Hayek certainly makes the case for embracing the next generation, and even being grateful for them."
--Amy EskindJournalist, published in Washington Post, LA Times, People, People.com & NPR.
"AnneMarie Hayek explores the dynamic change-makers of Generation Z through a lens of deep respect and pride. She leads readers through an accessible, lively sociocultural analysis and demonstrates how the impact of Gen Z is furthered by technology and other tools specific to this moment in time. With her Margaret Mead-like exploration coupled with vivid interviews of "Z Voices," readers will be left with a sense of hopefulness even in the face of our profound structural inequalities and growing political challenges. Hayek shows us clearly that Gen Z knows their power and in wielding it, may save us all. "
--Tracy Sefl, Democratic Strategist
"There's not a more important read at this moment than Generation We, AnneMarie Hayek's tour de force reflection on Generation Z. AnneMarie applies the rigor of a disciplined researcher to unpack insights into this fascinating cohort that is so vital to the future of both the planet and civilization's social fabric. It is written with soul and clarity by a gifted storyteller. The ambitions, ideas, pain and hope in the voices of those whom AnneMarie interviewed merit contemplation long after the last page of Generation We is turned. The immediacy and the enduring nature of the challenges and opportunities in front of Gen Z are brought into sharp relief in Generation We. The impact on the reader promises to call for contemplation and, as AnneMarie acquaints us with Generation We more intimately, to inspire genuine hope for the future."
--Bob Raidt, Managing Director, Accenture Interactive
"In telling us about the superpowers activated in Generation WE, AnneMarie shows us the latent potential lingering within all of us. This is the most encouraging book about humanity I've read in a very long time — and it provides a window into a real possibility, one which we are so hungry for right now. The stats and stories of ZSpeak provide the soulful antidote we desperately need to resolve our present state of divisiveness and hopelessness. Generation WEreveals a better way of being human — one that is more inclusive, equitable, just and sustainable —that is happening in our midst. We must listen, learn, uplift and become fierce allies to our new, inspiring, disruptive leaders!"
--Susan Lucci, Certified Purpose Guide, Life Design Catalyst Coach, MBSR-T, circle facilitator, attorney and activist.
"Generation We explores the power and promise of Gen Z with great insight and care - it showcases how this generation will shape our world, change the status-quo and force us to take on troubling social and environmental by-products resulting from decades of individualism and inequity. It is a savvy look at the new power-makers; the attitudes and experiences that have shaped their world view and the tools they are employing to drive change."
--Alison McConnell, Chief Marketing Officer, Publicis Health Media
"The author manages to capture a sense of much needed optimism in the resolve of the Zs to solve the most intractable problems foisted upon them while offering sober insights and a data driven analysis of what lies ahead. The climate chapter captures this duality with precision."
--Richard Saines, Partner, Pollination, USC Schwarzenegger Institute, former Chair, International Emissions Trading Association
"Anne Marie Hayek's book is a critically important voice in contemporary thought. Her brave and unparalleled look at the importance of mental health on and with GenZ will illuminate both need and opportunity to change the landscape on how we understand mental wellness. My fervent hope and belief is that the narrative of stigma reduction is changing beginning with writings such as this. Incredibly sensitive, timely and impactful."
--Carey E. Carlock, MA Behavioral Health, Hospital CEO and Clinical Consultant, Founder of Mosaic Counseling and Wellness
"The power and promise of Generation We is celebrated in these pages... a compelling tribute and education all in one!"
--Pam Daniels, Clinical Associate Professor of Design Innovation at Northwestern University
"AnneMarie captures the very essence of and defines how we can come to know this critical generation at this important inflection point." Laura Gurski, Senior Managing Director, Accenture"
--Laura Gurski, Senior Managing Director, Accenture
"The culmination of hundreds of hours of interviews and research with a wide variety of Gen-Zers, AnneMarie Hayek's stellar debut, Generation We, is endlessly engaging and informative from start to finish. In these precarious, unsettling times, a heaping serving of Hope, which Gen Z radiates more intensely than any other current generation--and which is on display in abundance on these pages--is a dish Hayek has deftly cooked up perfectly for this pivotal moment in history. Don't miss out on this one."
--David K. Israel, writer, composer, director
"Generation We is an insightful look at this passionate, action-oriented generation that is already changing the world. Their understanding that through collaboration not division, we can build a better future is inspiring. Whether the topic is climate change or mental health, Gen Z brings truthful dialogue combined with bold action to create change. There's so much hard work ahead, but with Gen Z's fierce desire to work together, the future may actually be brighter."
--Mary Lisa (ML) Wahlfeldt, founder of Begin With Ten
About the Author
AnneMarie Hayek is a cultural consultant, generational expert, and social agitator who deeply understands society's evolutions. She founded and leads two companies, Global Mosaic and ZSpeak, with a passion for navigating the cultural movements shaping our world. AnneMarie and her team of experts have advised the world's largest companies, organizations, governments, and presidential candidates for more than twenty-five years. She has a graduate degree from the University of Chicago and previously served as SVP and VP of Global Strategy at BBDO and Leo Burnett.
