For centuries, teenagers have been looked down upon for being too immature, too loud, or too bold. But we, as a generation, have captured that confidence and made it completely our own. Gen Z has taken media and the internet to the next level, creating new, hilarious trends, relating to each other through shared experiences, and developing friendships across the world with people our age. For me, a sixteen-year-old girl, being Gen Z has given me the freedom to speak out. To stand up for myself and other girls and women just like me. Media platforms and the bold confidence that comes with this generation have planted in me the spark to share with everyone I can. I was brought up in a household with a sexually abusive, alcoholic father. For years I was afraid. Afraid to speak out. Afraid to be heard. Afraid to be punished. I grew older, discovering my passion as a way to share myself and my experience. Music was a way for me to express myself and be heard without the fear of judgment. I learned how to communicate best through the art of sound, which inspired me to begin to compose. I sat for hours upon hours in front of my laptop screen at twelve years old, writing and writing until I came up with something I was proud of. My generation is truly something special. The connections we have developed with each other through art are inspiring. My story is just one of hundreds of thousands of Gen Z students who, like me, are discovering themselves and their passions as a way of self-expression. So, I might not be the best of us, but I believe that's the point. We are a connected society, building each other up to better versions of ourselves.