The last two years have shone a powerful light on many social issues including the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, racial discord, and severe climate events. Millennials and Gen Zs around the world are determined to hold themselves and others accountable on society’s most pressing issues.
As the most diverse generation in American history, Millennials and Gen Zs are seeking out opportunities to be part of the momentum to create more inclusive and welcoming cities. In preparation of the 3rd annual Shape Our City Summit presented by Ice Miller, we asked twenty-and thirty-somethings in Marion County to share their perspective on issues that are top of mind.
Setting the stage: The generational survey launched in January 2022 and collected feedback from 485 individuals. From that sample size, 434 responses were identified as in-demographic (twenty-and thirty-somethings that reside in the Indy region). Participants were asked to identify and rank five topic areas that they considered priority issues that are top of mind, such as: healthcare and disease prevention; economic development; social and racial justice; climate change and more. The average age from the survey was 31 years old.
Top issues for Millennial and Gen-Z leaders:
- Social and racial justice (59.1%)
- City growth and development (48.1%)
- Infrastructure (47.1%)
- Homelessness (46.1%)
- Public safety/crime (43.6%)
- Educational outcomes (43.2%
- Transportation and connectivity (42.8%)
- Climate change (36.8%)
- Mental health (33.5%)
- Public health (30.9%)
Millennials’ rankings of greatest concerns
Gen-Z rankings of greatest concerns
Geographic representation
Top zip codes represented:
| Zip Code | # of responses |
| 46202 | 49 |
| 46205 | 43 |
| 46220 | 36 |
| 46203 | 33 |
| 46201 | 28 |
| 46204 | 28 |
| 46208 | 15 |
| 46219 | 14 |
| 46240 | 10 |
| 46260 | 10 |
Based on these results, sessions and discussions during the Shape Our City Summit presented by Ice Miller will address the following issue areas:
Session #1: Social and racial justice
- Date: Wednesday, March 23 from 8:30 am – 10:00 am
- Location: Tinker House Event Space
Session #2: Homelessness
- Date: Thursday, March 24 from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
- Location: Guggman Haus Brewery Co.
Session #3: City growth and development
- Date: Friday, March 25 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
- Location: Circle Centre Mall
Participants will engage in conversations with civic, policy and community leaders to discuss all things Indy and take action steps toward systemic change that foster a more equitable path to leadership in our city. IndyHub will continue to provide digital content and program experience that highlight other issues areas that were identified from the survey.
Registration to all Summit experiences is free. Save your spot here.
ABOUT INDYHUB:
IndyHub works to grow, engage and empower a community of 20- and 30-somethings who are meaningfully connected to Indy and invested in its future. We channel our growing network of young and talented residents to each other, volunteer opportunities, affinity groups, social experiences and leadership roles. From those who are brand new to the city to those who have been here their entire lives, we work to ensure this key demographic is plugged in and committed to Indy long-term.
