Challenging Steroetypes and Growing Donor Activism —What do rich kids make you think of? I grew up with movies like Less Than Zero and Pretty in Pink forming my notions of rich kids as spoiled and self-indulgent. Even among the affluent, the stereotype persists. Today, heirs such as Paris Hilton reinforce the image. I wondered if there MAD young people with money.

Stereotypes don't stick without some ring of truth to them, but some rich kids don't like the way they're characterized. While the second half of the last century focused on how oppressed peoples suffered from hegemonic power structure, this century started with an awareness that we are all restrained by the power structures around us. Whether you are white or black, rich or poor, man or woman, straight or gay, to some degree societal perceptions limit you. Often, the general consensus about wealthy young people doesn't match up with the strong desire some young people have for economic parity and environmental action.

As a kid I heard about: the gas crisis of the 70s, the severe environmental crisis, Watergate, Vietnam, and the death of Kennedy. I vividly remember weighing my leftovers at summer camp because children were dying of starvation in Ethiopia. I grew up with recycling. Is it at all surprising that some of my generation would have a strong social conscience?

With the enormous growth of wealth in this country over the last 20 years -- projected to continue to grow at a fantastic rate -- it should also not be surprising that there is a wealthy cross-section of our current society interested in social justice.

The number of billionaires in the US has more than doubled; expanding from 97 to 205 between 1989 and 2002.* Is that wealthy? What is it to be wealthy? Wealth turns out to be greatly subjective. While there are places in the world where many people's income never hits a dollar a day, in the United States the average personal income in 2004 grew to $32,937.* Most Americans place in the top 10% of the world's wealthy. Within the United States, if the average income sits at $32,000, being rich (top 10%) might mean a personal income over $115,000 per year.* That would make some college graduates in the last ten years into “Rich Kids”. To find out your net wealth percentile placement, try this calculator http://www.hughchou.org/calc/wealth2.cgi.

Those of wealth under 50 and altruistic constitute what philanthropist William Upski Wimsatt monikered the “cool rich kids movement,” in which young people of wealth contribute to society in socially progressive ways.

Who are these “cool rich kids?” Some inherited money (or will in the future). Others made money through stocks or technology and now want to direct their new wealth to socially conscious giving.

They represent a new wave of donors: smart, young, hip, and generous.

We may not recognize these individuals by their name; yet these givers donate their wealth on a scale rarely seen before. While the average American may give only 2.2% of their income, inversely some of the cool rich kids give 98% of their inherited wealth as part of a value-based decision to increase economic parity. Not all are so self-sacrificing. Each donor gives what works for him or her—large or small, now or later.

Wimsatt offers up another catch phrase: Philanthropy is the art form of the 21 st Century. Defying the stereotype of lazy rich kids blowing money on drugs and high fashion, these young people give a fortune to social causes. One book in the field describes this phenomenon in its title, We Gave Away A Fortune: Stories of People Who have Devoted Themselves and Their Wealth to Peace, Justice, and the Environment. The authors of that book, Anne and Christopher Ellinger, started More Than Money, a journal and resource for people who believe life is about more than just money (and now run Bolder Giving).

Perhaps Wimsatt described philanthropy appropriately, given the devotion of these giving-artists and the skills required to give well. The best gifts leverage the activist's work to intensify the impact. And it is not just about money. Often connections increase the visibility and access for projects. Having money can open doors.

Do young resourceful individuals know that doorways exist to other donor activists? Do they know how to make a leveraged impact? Resource Generation helps resource-rich people under age 35 by providing connections, community, and pertinent information.

Resource Generation started after a poor turnout to a conference made it clear that rich kids didn't want to fraternize together—who would want to hang out with Steph from Pretty in Pink or talk about philanthropy with Paris Hilton? Resource Generation acts as a supportive community for these young givers. For some, money has been a dirty little secret that they did not want to share with their activist peers. For others, money empowers them to contribute not just as activists, but as donor activists.

Can a donor and an activist be the same person? Can that person be younger than 35? Can wealthy youths talk about their affluence within a community of like-minded social justice activists? Yes. Yes. And hopefully yes.

Donor activism is not new! Many of the larger progressive organizations started in the sixties and seventies with contributions from donor activists. Our country has a long history of progressive funding. The age of many donor activists may be surprising. With strong values and great passion, a freer generation strives to act now. Standing on the shoulders of the revolutionaries of the sixties and seventies, this generation presumes that they don't have to wait until they are older to have an impact. The number of young donors appears to be growing quickly. Well supported by organizations such as Resource Generation, attendance at regular events and national conferences and retreats such as Momentum and Making Money Make Change grows every year.

Perhaps we should question the stereotypes around philanthropists as a whole? A new radical philanthropy rises in popularity. People under 50 with energy, enthusiasm, and passion giving while living in a surge effort to change the world.

This is not about charity; this is about making a leveraged impact for social justice. This is about finding cures, not treating the symptoms. If adults can't find jobs, why not make kids more techno-savvy so they will find jobs as they approach adulthood? Kids are dying in Africa. Why not send out vaccines, develop medicines, take a long-term approach, be culturally sensitive, and bring all involved parties to the table? Those don't exactly sound like the plans of a drug-crazed lazy spoilt rich kid, do they?

The stereotype changes. A new one emerges. Jamie Schweser, Donor Educator, from the Resource Generation resists stereotypes. “There are so many stereotypes about class that are put forth through the media that limit us all. They limit our ability to see each other as full human beings doing our best to navigate our way through a system that we did not create. For young people with wealth interested in social justice--making the world a better place—we can be afraid of being those stereotypes.” Jamie focuses on the uniqueness of each donor. “Cool Rich Kids” as a moniker attempts to reclaim the power and passion of a group of capable and socially conscious individuals.

So what do you do if you are young, wealthy, and don't want to be generalized?

I spoke with Jamie. The same week he found out that he was inheriting money he received Wimsatt's book No More Prisons in the mail. After being a community organizer for several years, the book resonated with Jamie. Being a cool rich kid, grounded in his own experience, he helps others through Resource Generation.

To others like himself, Jamie says, “You don't have to do it alone. There are people, networks, and organizations out here to support you in having the conversation and exploring the issues that come up around having progressive politics or wanting to live in a more equitable world and also having a more than equitable share of resources at your disposal.”

It may be hard as a young person to speak with the family financial advisor, especially when values separate generations. Jamie explains, “We have workshops that are social change financial planning. It is more of the conceptual stuff such as what values do you want to bring to your meeting with your financial planner. With young folks, sometimes there can be a feeling of disconnection. It helps to have had a conversation with other young folks to get some perspective with others and get comfortable with some of the language.”

Jamie outlines a process of figuring out what you are all about, what your values are, and what you want your giving plan to look like. He encourages inheritors to know where their money comes from, be clear about their feelings about it, and have a network of people to discuss their feelings with. Jamie doesn't believe there is one right answer, “Everybody has a different understanding of economics, history, power, and politics.” And thus each donor needs to find what works for them—for what they understand, and what they may want to do.

Good suggestion, Jamie. We can all use a clear giving plan based on a solid understanding of who we are, and where we think we have come from, what we believe, and what we want to see in the world. What do you want to change?