Editor and Digital Specialist, Vansh Gupta at Siliconeer wins the Youth Voice Award at the 2020 Ethnic Media Awards for pioneering the Gen-Z platform, giving students a voice in the community to showcase the brilliant minds of tomorrow: their stories, their struggles, and their aspirations.

“The Gen-Z platform was pioneered to build the dialogue for the torch bearers of tomorrow, today. It is our responsibility as media outlets to empower and encourage the Gen-Z. Siliconeer strives to give them that voice.

We are elated to be a part of this award-winning club and we sincerely hope this movement flourishes with time.”

I would like to begin with a big thank you to EMS, Sandy Close, and a shout out to all ethnic media!

When I became a part of the most forward-thinking and innovative South Asian media in Silicon Valley, I had no idea there would come a day where I would win a definitive award in a statewide ethnic media award ceremony. Starting at the age of 14, I was very fortunate to get this opportunity at Siliconeer.

Siliconeer had its evergreen print edition along with a mobile app and website. The focus was on politics, Bollywood, and global events. Siliconeer was in its sweet spot, and my parents gave me the opportunity to flourish as they had a vision, they knew would one day be my own. What followed was basically a journey into oblivion that became a clearer with every giant step forward.

2020 was a very eventful year for Siliconeer, and for me, personally. After working a part-time job while applying for internships and getting nowhere with the process, there was a brief period, where the whole world shutdown as the pandemic was in full force. Following that was a strong call for community and empowerment.

We dedicated our focus and efforts towards a shared mission – investing in tomorrow, today.

While many still focus on millennials, we believe that the Gen-Z generation has already arrived and will change the world for the better. Siliconeer was recognized for willingness to inflect towards the minds of tomorrow, today.

It would be apt to say: we, the Gen-Z, stand up for ourselves, know what our self-worth is, and we aren’t afraid to tackle any challenge thrown to us as we take monumental strides towards our goals.

Siliconeer believes there is a strong need for a Gen-Z voice within the ethnic media space. We strive to foster that voice in empowering the generation next.

We are very excited to have introduced the Gen-Z section that would help bring forward empowering stories of young entrepreneurs, students, and working professionals.

The Gen-Z is working hard so the next generations can have a more sustainable and better outlook than today and Siliconeer is here to embrace and empower that change.