Article for Arnhem Business School

Being a Millennial or from generation Z, you might recognize struggling with hearing people constantly say you’re lazy, socially awkward, impatient, overly sensitive or entitled.

It’s tiring right? People having a perception of you that isn’t true?

Well, I, Denise Reina, being a Gen Z member, can’t relate to these words negatively placed upon us. I often disagree, just like others, with these stereotypes and misconceptions.

Through a public relations and communications agency, Wisse Kommunikatie, I found out about the National Millennial and GenZ Community.

The National Millennial and GenZ Community is a U.S.-based movement that aims to change the conversation when it comes to perceptions put on most of us Gen Zers and Millennials. They do this by having open, honest and especially relevant conversations with different multinational companies and organizations, such as ABC Television, Walt Disney Imagineering, Google, Microsoft and Amazon.

NMC discusses topics such as social change, leadership development, sustainability, marketing, advertising and many more.

As of this moment, NMC is represented by students and young professionals from Generation Z and Millennials. Coming from more than 40 states, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan and more countries in the future, this community starts to reflect on an even greater part of the world.

In the beginning of February, I got to travel to LA to meet the National Millennial and GenZ Community.

In short: an unforgettable, joyous and interesting trip!

You might ask yourself, ‘What about that trip to LA?’

Firstly, let me tell you a little about the trips NMC organizes every few months.

NMC convenes trips to a U.S.-based city a few times a year. On these trips, participants visit different organizations, often getting tours through their buildings, campuses and stadiums. After that, NMC members sit together with different executives to have interesting conversations about the unique traits of their generations as well as other relevant topics, as explained before. These trips are invaluable as they give members a way to express themselves as well as getting in contact with great organizations.

I consider myself fortunate to have been on this trip to LA. I got to experience everything I had read about NMC. I have visited some amazing organizations and I was truly ecstatic by their keen interest in our opinions.

In only three short days I have visited around 9 organizations, ones I wouldn’t have expected to ever visit in my life. Together with 30 other people, we literally ran, drove and laughed while being on a busy schedule from 7:30AM to 9:15PM each day.

During our bus rides you would suddenly hear: “If you look straight ahead, you can see the Hollywood sign!” and “If you look to the right you’ll see the entrance of Paramount Pictures!” It was so cool finally seeing those things in real life, instead of pictures!

During our dinners, we would do different tasks or games, where everyone showed off their savvy, competitive side, which was very funny. I was given the opportunity to introduce the participating members of NMC to the Netherlands, and the Dutch culture. Fortunately, they loved the stroopwafels and Haagse Hopjes!

To add on all of that, I enjoyed learning about American and Canadian cultures. It was interesting to explore the differences and similarities between our cultures. I must say, American waffles with syrup for breakfast is definitely on my favorites-list now!

I was, and still am, so amazed by LA and the people I met here.

The trip was made possible by WisseKommunikatie and the founder of the National Millennial and GenZ Community, Bill Imada. I will forever be thankful to them as this brought me so much joy, many lessons and experiences, and friends. I met a lot of incredible people on the trip. Personally, I feel lucky and proud to be a part of this community.

I look forward to working together with Wisse Kommunikatie and National Millennial and GenZ Community to make sure that, we too, in the Netherlands start such a clever, admirable and moving community.

Would you like to see more pictures of my adventure? Make sure to check them out on @arnhembusinessschool on Instagram!

Thanks!