MORIAH PETTWAY

We are TDF

Moriah Pettway

we are the disruptive future

platform for the underrepresented youth, a place to raise awareness about the issues of our generation – we are The Disruptive Future.

The Disruptive Future (TDF) is a publication affiliated with The Disruptive Quarterly, but its goal is to highlight the voices of Gen-Z. TDF consists of a group of passionate young people who desire to change the future. Through this initiative, we hope to inspire adolescents just like us to be the change that our world desperately needs.

Writer and editor of TDF, Jasmin Tiong-Smith, had the pleasure of interviewing Baldwin High School’s Assistant Director of Instructional Programs, Gabriella Franza. Franza’s efforts this April landed Jasmin along with Annalise Persaude and I, Moriah Pettway, the opportunity to work as interns with The Disruptive Quarterly and eventually launch TDF.

Franza’s impression of The Disruptive Quarterly and her desire to see Baldwin students working with them was well stated in her interview, “I love the fact that there are groups out there that are devoted to showcasing the voice of youth. I try not to use the term empower because I feel like it implies that you need to be given power when it’s already within you.” She then adds, “I love the idea of disrupting the status quo because there are so many changes that need to happen in our society.”

She brings up an important point when she says, “A lot of times making change requires more than just ideas, it requires resources, it requires networking, so it’s (TDF) giving you all the tools you need in order to show what you already have and present your ideas.” This statement truly embodies our mission as TDF is meant to be a platform and a resource for youth to not only showcase their ideas but to demonstrate that their ideas can result in real change.

Our world is headed in a negative direction, which is evident in the changes being made to reverse the efforts made by those who went before and fought to create a better society. It is now up to us to not only protect what has been fought for but to create change where change is necessary.

We invite you to contribute your stories, your art, your creativity, and your passion as we band together to disrupt the future.

Moriah Pettway assistant editor

Moriah Pettway is an Assistant Editor for The Disruptive Quarterly and a senior at Baldwin Senior High School. She will be studying Journalism at Northwestern University this fall. Her passion for journalism began her sophomore year after writing for a student-run blog, with a focus on social justice. Joining this blog stirred her passion for writing and showed that she could make a change by using her voice to educate her peers and implore them to take a stance. The Disruptive Future will not only allow her to continue to pursue her passions for justice, but it will allow the cultivation of a united society. Through each article we put out, she personally aims to bring new perspectives and shed light on issues. She is excited to be on a team of like-minded individuals, who desire to see a generation of youth create change and promote an inclusive society.