‘Roo-ful Times
Written By: Gabe Sulkes
Last week in Manchester, Tennessee, the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival unleashed its annual barrage of A-list performances and psychedelic phenomena on nearly 80,000 gleeful fans. Slogging through rain, tornado warnings, and blistering heat, concertgoers flocked to an eclectic assortment of shows ranging from Phish and the Beastie Boys to Snoop Dogg and Merle Haggard. For the four-day music marathon, attendees and organizers erected a flourishing communal society on the Tennessee farmland replete with taxi depots, post offices, and cell-phone recharging stations. Businesses selling everything from gyro pitas to Garnier Fructis hair conditioner joined casual vendors trafficking hemp clothing and breakfast burritos to Tent City patrons. Meanwhile the Bonnaroo Beacon delivered fans daily news while Bonnaroo Radio provided minute-by-minute music and weather updates. A thriving metropolis indeed.
However, outside the gates, Manchester reels from the economic challenges plaguing cities and states across the country. Despite the festival’s cash infusion, the total number of unemployed in Manchester stands at 125,043 or a 9.8% rate according to the Commission for the New Economy. Meanwhile, the Manchester unemployment rate for youth ages 16-24 is rising faster than regional or national averages.
While festival organizers search for solutions to pizza shortages, Manchester attempts to address these economic deficiencies with a variety of policy prescriptions. The Centre for Urban Education in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University works to improve school resources and retention rates—a key ingredient to improving the youth employment gap. The Greater Manchester Connexions service provides support and guidance for youth age 13-19 as they consider career opportunities. Connexions attempts to eliminate a struggling cohort of youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). Cumulatively, these programs recognize the important role young workers play in stimulating the New Economy.
However, these youth issues are not unique to the Manchester community. National organizations are reproducing these youth employment initiatives on a broad scale. The 80 Million Strong for Young American Jobs Coalition is a leader in this fight against youth unemployment, limited education and health insurance access, and staggering student loan debts. Like Bonnaroo’s diverse lineup, 80 Million unites unique groups, including co-chairs the Student Association for Voter Empowerment, Mobilize.org, and the Roosevelt Institution. By encouraging new incentives for entrepreneurship and the expansion of “mission critical” job sectors, the coalition attempts to tackle the issues facing Manchester on a national stage.
To succeed in this ambitious venture, we need the grassroots support of Millennial youth from across the country. Writing letters to congressional representatives, staging rallies and outreach to local media, and disseminating this message of economic hardship on a macro scale. At Bonnaroo, 80,000 attendees with a common purpose, united to form a prosperous, music-infused society. If 80,000 enthusiastic concertgoers can forge a living and working community for a few days on southern farmland, 80,000,000 Millennial youth can together confront the economic hardship testing our generation. So as Bruce Springsteen bellowed to throngs of ‘Roo fans in his 9/11 ode, “come on up for the rising,” we must rise collectively in this defining struggle of our generation.
To learn more and join 80 Million Strong, please visit http://80millionstrong.org.
