From: www.unlimitedmagazine.com

Russell Simmons, the American entrepreneur, founder of Def-Jam and fashion icon (Phat Farm) and vegan (going on 10 years), wrote on the Huffington Post this week about millennials. He calls them the “Most Powerful Generation in America,” — a sentiment about which an entire book has been written — but says that the U.S. Congress is doing nothing to help them. Simmons, with co-author Maya Enista of Mobilize.org cites statistics of the average millennial that, I suspect, represent trends in Canada, too:

$27,000 in student loan $2000 in credit card debt unemployment at a rate more than 8% higher than the national average

(Research by Statistics Canada offers similar numbers, with the youth unemployment in British Columbia, for instance, at its highest in 11 years).

The Millennial Generation, those born between 1976 and 1996, the heirs to our economic legacy and ultimately the bearers of our economic destiny, are being disproportionately affected by the crisis, but continue to go unnoticed.

The message he doesn’t touch on, but would likely support, is one that business leaders should listen to: A large segment of the population is going to be retiring soon, despite their smaller recession-eaten nest eggs. In 20 years, millennials are going to be running the show. Best to train them now for the leadership roles in both business and politics that they will be facing. And pay them some respect.