Saket Soni on the Economy at the Make Progress National Summit

“We are not going to build the app that’s going to fix the problems of the economy,” Saket Soni said in a panel on Wednesday at Generation Progress’ 2014 Make Progress National Summit. Instead, he suggested, millennials are going to have to speak out and organize in order to bring about economic justice.

Faced with crushing student debt, low wages and long-term unemployment, Soni called on the summit’s attendees to leap into action, as these economic challenges shape the millennial generation. “The hope is that [student debt] will become the social movement issue of our time.” Soni discussed how immense debt and lack of career options for young people after college is like a plunge into open waters without a lifeboat, and can be completely demoralizing.

Soni urged the crowd of young people to approach the issues of economic injustice for the millennial generation through collective bargaining and organizing. In lieu of technology, it’s the real, large-scale organizing that will bring about real change, like challenging those who profit at the cost of young people’s difficult economic circumstances.
Check out the Center for American Progress’ Sarah Ayres’ conversation with Saket Soni and the rest of the Make Progress Livestream below!