New FIU Student Organization Fights for Intergenerational Justice

Amanda Gray / Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Future Generation Alliance

FIU’s new student organization Future Generation Alliance seeks to change the narrative of helplesness during COVID-19 and environmental crises era by giving students the opportunity to be involved in the making of policies that will impact their future. 

The organization is a “coalition of young students that are concerned with the world that future generations will inherit”, according to FGA’s PantherConnect page: 

The founder of FGA is Alex Levy, a transfer student from Mexico City, who is currently working on his bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in international relations.

Photo courtesy of Alex Levy

Levy said he started FGA because of misrepresentations of his generation, specifically the lack of regard for the future and the desire for quick and easy living.

“We’ve been labeled as trying to have instant gratification and pleasure on our social media and everything, and without taking into account the long-term view of things,” said Levy. “I wanted to take that out of the equation and bring people around me who have the same notions of who we are, who we should be in terms of our relationship with time, and that in turn takes us into the relationship with our future generations.”

Levy explained that in a world currently plagued by a pandemic and political unrest, Future Generation Alliance will seek to actively take part in leaving the world a better place for the next generation.

“My kids are not born yet. They’re still imaginary but I hope I can leave them what I inherited in a much better place. In Future Generation Alliance, we’ll discuss and analyze policy, and how it will affect, in terms of environment, energy, and social justice, our future generation,” Levy said.

FGA members can expect to attend conferences with different guest speakers and engage in discussions with club members regarding the most prevalent topics of today’s world.

FGA’s Panther Connect page described the opportunities that club members will have, including “identifying core challenges we currently face and proposing practical solutions to them…and building ties with international organizations that have the same concern for intergenerational justice”.

Levy also hopes club members will get to actively influence policymaking in Miami.

When asked why he chose to start the club at FIU, Levy instantly noted FIU’s unique demographics.

“The core notion is that our generation and the students from FIU [and] our community are international,” said Levy. “It comes from everywhere around the world and at the end of the day, it’s a generational fight.”

Levy wants the organization to one day become a thriving non-profit organization, and credits FIU as the starting point.

“FIU gives you the base and foundation for you to flourish. So, starting with a student organization that can become a nonprofit is amazing for the future, so first off I’m very thankful for FIU, for just putting up the opportunities to create something out of nothing and to be part of a group of students that are concerned with the same ideas,” said Levy.

Future Generation Alliance hopes to launch the club with a virtual conference on April 8, where members can expect to hear from Alexander Rose, the executive director of The Long Now Foundation. The Long Now Foundation is dedicated to long-term thinking and establishing a new normal in society as opposed to the current culture of instant gratification.

Levy shared the main focus and goals of the club on FGA’s Panther Connect page.

“Our main focus is the long-term, and the prevention of problems from emerging in the first place. We are driven to create change today for a better tomorrow,” wrote Levy. “We will give voice to those who are not yet with us and we are determined to deliver them a world better than the one we inherited.”

Students who are interested in learning more about Future Generation Alliance can visit the club’s Panther Connect page here: https://fiu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/futuregenerationalliance