Maxwell Alejandro Frost, the first Generation Z congressperson, is creating change in the 118th congress. Frost, being part of Gen Z, intends to help end climate change, create more gun control and give abortion rights to women. In his years as a young man, he has dealt with violence around every corner. Frost, born Jan. 17, 1997, is the first and so far only congressperson from Gen Z, which includes people born from 1997-2012. Frost is a Democrat elected to serve Florida’s 10th Congressional district. He campaigned on supporting Medicare-for-All, and abortion rights, and successfully passed a law that gave 1.6 million ex-felon Florida residents the right to vote.
Thousands of Gen Z Americans find Frost as an inspiration and a chance to speak out. He is a first look into what Gen Z will do in Congress and the U.S. government. In the 117th congress, which preceded the current congress, over 50% of the representatives were boomers, 5% were part of the silent Generation, 33% were Gen X and Millennials with just 6.25%. This generation breakdown is staying roughly the same and is projected to remain that way into the near future.
Frost lived in Orlando, Florida growing up and dealt with violence at every turn. “As a young man, I experienced police abuse firsthand and saw my community ravaged by gun violence,” Frost said on his website Frost for Congress. After experiencing abuse from police and gun violence on a day-to-day basis, Frost hopes to evolve the government and fight for gun control.
“It’s good to have someone who is of a younger generation because he has seen the violence that [guns] can do, especially in schools in America,” sophomore Noah Hecker said climate change is a large part of the youth political culture and is a major campaign priority for Frost. “Someone who is older wouldn’t be as concerned about [climate change], so it’s really awesome to have someone in our generation who’s able to make sure that we have a future,” Hecker said. “I have a lot of friends who care about [climate change].”
Frost is an active member of both the political and activist world. He pushed Joe Biden to abolish the Hyde Amendment, which would have restricted the right to abortion for millions. Frost used his right to protest, recently leading young activists as the National Organizing Director of March for Our Lives. He helps the people in his district by fighting for laws in congress that will benefit them and hopes to improve the “racist criminal justice system.”