Class of Hope and Change is a space for ideas, music, culture, community, and good vibes. Our foundation is built on the conversations we have with everyday young people, who have shared their dreams, struggles, ideas, and stories in a beautiful movement of love, trust, and truth.

We’re about engaging the social, cultural, economic, and political experiences of everyday millennials. We believe the ideas of Hope and Change are about our future and are open to anyone who is trying to make the world a better place to live.

This is a socially interactive experience of oral history. Using conversation, we dig for the gems of wisdom that lie beneath the surface of what we typically see and share on social media.

We follow in the traditions of Studs Terkel, The Combat Jack Show, James Lipton, Humans of New York, Brian Lamb, Tavis Smiley, and StoryCorps. Our conversations are not about gratuitous shock or drama. We get out of the way, so that the words and ideas of our guests can shine.

Despite all the technological advances of the past two decades, and all the time we spend engaging through social media, I believed that there were too many voices that were going unheard and were at risk of becoming misremembered in the retelling of the history of the millennial generation. My goal was to create a platform that would help to change that.

People can disagree without being disagreeable. We did not run from tough conversations, but we did not allow high passions to excuse low civility. Adulting in the real world is not always pretty, but I believe the truth can be communicated in love, and this book and podcast aspired to do just that.

WHO AM I?

Deji Komolafe is an author and former high school educator who has spent over 15 years engaged in the work of developing young people.