Inspired by its attendance at MCON 2016, the Co Lab hosted a salon focused on the generations within the Millennials! Teens, college and post college attendees shared views on aspirations, dreams, and challenges, starting with mindfulness exercises and utilizing peer counseling to dig deep towards greater authentic network building.  Co-led by Co Lab Advisors John Hanacek and Alison Sher, the Salon engaged four high schoolers, two college students from American University, and three post college Millennials, and also Nathan Bynum of Arlington Independent Media and Co Lab Advisor for Youth Media, along with Boomer and Co Lab Founder, Linda Staheli.

“I look forward to seeing how authentic relationships can help us find common ground in our daily lives as we all work towards creating a more loving world.  I loved how willing people were in this salon to opening up about their common fears and offer support to one another – and to get into a place of connecting,” commented Alison Sher, who co led the Salon with John, who commented that ‘bringing up and talking about our common fears helped lose power in those fears — a young teen age kid helped me move on and get rid of some baggage — he said it sounds like you have a lot of cognitive dissonance.  If we give teens space to breathe they will exceed our wildest dreams but if we micromanage them — we will just recreate the same thing.

The power of a salon to bring people together intentionally, to learn to be authentic in sharing – early in life – is invaluable, commented Linda.  Think of how many never value living mindfully and authentically – and how our society would be if we could transform around issues globally on a massive scale.  The outcome of this Salon will be a sixty minute television show on issues for the millennials, on Youth Can Change the World – a new show with Arlington Independent Media, to be filmed and aired in the Fall!  Stay tuned and let us know how the Co Lab can empower you to host intentional, mindful and authentic inter-generational gatherings!