In school, very often we practice the Active Shooter threats,
you know, because it is a very real possibility that it's
going to happen. You never know.
And it is very scary because they don't tell you
when it's real or not.
Growing up in a place where everything is controlled, I think
that's definitely caused us to want to be more rebellious.
I like to express myself through skateboarding mostly,
same as fashion.
It's like, "Oh yeah, I can wear this."
and people will be like, "What the f*ck is that?" You know?
We're the next to come.
We have to make our future.
I really want to build, like, a sustainable empire,
make clothing out of, like, recycled plastic.
I feel like the Gen Z generation is autonomous.
We kind of just go out and do things.
This right here is the greatest 16-year-old,
my brother, my best friend.
Me and my brother work on clothing.
I design it, he does the finishing touches.
I really want to see my art, like, on everybody.
We do it for the kids.
The people that want to see art, love art.
My name is Veyonce, I live in the Bronx.
I've lived there my entire life.
I just started voguing.
It's been six months and I'm really devoted to that, due to the fact
that women's performance is, like, such a small category.
It makes me feel so much confidence that I never even had before.
I'm Dominican, and it's not really common for boys or men to express
themselves and be able, like, to dress up.
I work at Malibu Pet Hotel. We board dogs,
and, like, I clean up after them and I walk them.
My heart lies with fashion.
I'm a DJ, producer, singer, rapper, writer.
It's New York, like,
this is a New York thing.
Don't wait to start living...
start now.
In New York, we take these, like, state tests called the Regents
which if we moved to any other State,
like, it's useless.
Like, I'd rather learn about taxes and all that...
Yo, yo, yo!
...so I could actually use that in real life!
- Of course!
My dream is to become a principal dancer
at the Martha Graham Dance Company.
Every dancer has, like, their own story to tell.
I don't have to say anything, my body just will say it for me.
There are so many people, like, my age who are queer
in both their gender and their sexuality.
I think we're going to allow the next generation
to understand that the term 'straight',
doesn't necessarily exist.
It's like, everyone has, like, their Sweet Sixteens and everything,
but I never really wanted anything like that.
Now, like, I purposely, like, wear whatever I want,
because I can.
I'm currently working on this book of stories and images,
and, kind of, show all, like, the broad spectrums which is
sexuality, and identity, and gender expression.
I think that if I'd seen who I was to become when I was younger, and
I was struggling, like, I'd be scared, but kind of excited.
New Yorkers aren't the same from the rest of the world.
It's kind of the whole world brought into a big city.
Experiencing that, I feel like I've already seen the whole world.
When you're 16, there are limitless opportunities in New York.
We were queueing for a Brockhampton concert,
and then we'd made them bracelets,
and some of the members were walking by and they
were wearing them, ... and we were like, "Oh my God!"
Like, "We made those for you!" And they were like,
"Thanks, I like them a lot!"
And I was like, "Aww!" It was a cute experience.
Being Dominican, and black, and Panamanian, and Jamaican,
there's a whole lot to it!
At my school, I was actually thinking about it, like,
we don't have that many, like, just fully anything kids.
We're full of surprises, you never know.
We're really just the best generation,
so that's really it.
Living in a post 9/11 society,
we've just kind of had to always be aware
how you have to adapt and live in this world.
Whether it be artistically, or politically,
we have the opportunities to express ourselves
in a way that will inspire others.
Yeah, everyone wants to make a T-shirt brand, though.
Like, everyone has a T-shirt brand, I don't know.
It's like... it's like oversaturated with T-shirts right now.