generation X-ceptional.

These 30-and-under overachievers are representing themselves--and their peer group--to the fullest. Here's their take on the world they are poised to inherit.

"Let's love ourselves, then we can't fail to make a better situation. Tomorrow, our seeds will grow. All we need is dedication."

-- Lauryn Hill

SELFISH, CYNICAL, UNMOTIVATED, SUCH SENTIMENTS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO THE ORIGINAL CROP of latch-key kids since we were first classified under the peculiar designation Generation X. Ask us what we think about ourselves, however, and we'll be more likely to say that we're independent, we're not afraid to tell it like it is, and, quite frankly, we see no value in doing the same old things, much less in the same old ways.

Indeed, concerning the more than 45 million members of our "lost" generation--born between approximately 1965 and 1977--it has often been stated by our elders that we place too much emphasis on the here and now, demand immediate results without first paying our dues, and get a rise out of challenging authority. Well, if the shoe fits...

But no matter what labels--deserving or otherwise--may be affixed to us, there is one thing Xers can never honestly be tagged: "slackers." Our high-tech inclinations combined with an innate desire to experiment with new ways of seeing, thinking, and doing have changed the way the world operates. In the workplace, our influence is apparent with the influx of casual dress codes, more relaxed working environments, the application of technology, and the development of innovative business models. On the social front, our commitment to community activism, political responsibility, and human rights has proven that our generation is not as apathetic as the pundits had originally claimed.

Because we are the successors to the throne of power and leadership in our communities, nation and world, it is only fitting that we tell you how we feel about the world we are about to inherit. BE asked a variety of high-achieving individuals, age 30 and under--some of whom are actually members of Generation Y--to identify the biggest issues facing the African and Latino American communities in the 21st century, as well as some beginning steps that can be taken to address them.

Omar Karim

Age: 26

Status: Corporate lawyer, Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel; cofounder, eUniversityBookstore.com

Education: B.S., mechanical engineering, Howard University; J.D., Howard University Law School

Background: Karim is one of six siblings--four engineers, a medical professional, and a high school student-and derived his entrepreneurial aspirations from his father, whose businesses included a newspaper, a gas station, a fish market, and a restaurant. A two-time member of the board of trustees at Howard University, he was the first to serve more than one term while an undergraduate student. His fellow trustees have included Earl G. Graves, Gen. Colin Powell, and Jack Kemp, former secretary of the department of housing and urban development.

Karim: The two biggest issues I see facing our community are access to capital and a lack of business savvy. African Americans have only been able to secure a [small amount] of the trillions of dollars of capital out there. They say you have to have money to make money, so not having access to large amounts of capital is going to continue to be a problem for us. Second, we lack business savvy. As a general rule, most of our young people aren't going to business school and getting the [necessary] knowledge. Black companies will need to get away from the concept of a small mom-and-pop, [and stop] reinventing the wheel over and over again. If you have a business background, you'll understand the concepts and the models it will take to be truly successful.

We need to pool our resources together and create alliances. Merge two or three companies, like March/ Hodge did (see "Bigger is Better," June 1999), so we'll be able to leverage that weight. We need to encourage young people to go into the business field, but not to work for others. I don't think you can earn real money, create much change, or have real power if you do. Go to business school and get that M.B.A., and go into business for yourself. If we do these things, I believe success will follow.

Alfredo Ospina

Age: 30

Status: CEO, ourGolf.com

Education: B.S., concentrations in business, computers and computational math, and sociology, University of Michigan

Background: Formed ourGolf.com in February with partner Carl Brock, in response to the lack of available resources on the Internet to meet the needs of minority golfers; also owns Brimstone Enterprises, a Website design and integration firm in Southfield, Michigan.

Ospina: I believe there are many obstacles facing African and Latino Americans in the 21st century. We are clearlylacking from a standpoint of political power. I believe this is true [because of] voter apathy and collusion from the political powers that be. Unfortunately, we cannot attack the latter until we correct the former. We possess tremendous power to make social and economic change if we utilize our political strength.

Economically, we must change the belief among companies and the white community that minority individuals are not as capable as their white counterparts, especially in the field of technology. We must show ourselves as more than capable and competent, using all means at our disposal to highlight our success stories. Socially, we must continue to fight for equal rights and demand fair treatment, as well as treat ourselves with respect and dignity. We must continue fighting stereotypes that have hindered us in the past. We must mentor our young people and empower them to succeed.

George Jenkins, D.M.D.

Age: 27

Status: Dentist

Education: B.S., Seton Hall University; D.M.D., University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey

Background: As teenagers at University High School in Newark, doctors Rameck Hunt, 27, Jenkins, and Sampson Davis, made a pact to stick together and support each other during their schooling. The three roomed together at Seton Hall University, where they were inspired by a science fair and guided by a physician who took them under his wing. Each held down part-time jobs to pay for his education, while their parents--all single moms--took on second jobs to support their sons' goals. Last year, Davis and Hunt graduated from UMDNJ's School of Medicine, while Jenkins graduated from its School of Dentistry. After completing their residencies, the three doctors plan to open a clinic in Newark to provide healthcare to inner-city residents. The doctors speak at schools and churches to encourage children to follow their dreams.

Dr. Jenkins' The thing that separated my situation from the situations of a lot of my friends who didn't do so well was family. A lot of their home situations weren't as solid as mine. Mine was a single-parent home, but my mother was a rock, solid and thorough, so it offset the fact that there was no father there. A lot of my friends didn't even have that. They might have [had] a mom who was strung out, or doing things she shouldn't [have] been doing, because they weren't productive for the family.

Imagine being 14 years old and having to be responsible for getting up in the morning and making sure you go to school without anyone on your back [encouraging you]. It's tough to overcome that challenge and get motivated when your home base isn't motivating you. [An environment] where, if you don't go to school it's cool because there's really no one to get on your case. That's the one thing that immediately sticks out for me. It wasn't that I was smarter than them or had more money than them. Having that support at home was the one factor that shaped my life differently from theirs.

How can we remedy that? It's kind of difficult, because it should start with the parents. But what can we do with kids who don't have them? We can develop mentoring programs that provide some sort of guidance outside of the home. Programs that give these kids some interaction with positive adults who are doing some good things, exposing [kids] to different things, and showing them that the world is bigger than the neighborhood in which they live.

Sampson Davis, M.D.

Age: 27

Status: Medical doctor

Education: B.S., Seton Hall University; M.D., University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey

Dr. Davis: The problem facing our community is a multifaceted one. Economically, we need to build for the present as well as the future. African Americans don't have any "generational money." We have no money to pass on to the next generation; we pretty much all have to start from scratch. Also, we don't own anything. We need to be in charge of high-powered companies, own some of these large [commercial] properties and get more African Americans into professional positions of power. Socially, our inner cities are struggling. We need to reconstruct the family, the education system, and the municipal system.

We need to move up the professional ladder. We need to invest more. We've got to catch up with technology. Every family should have a computer in their household. Will our generation cut all of the lag time between us and the rest of the social classes? No. But it's a role that our generation has to [take on] in order to pass the torch to the up-and-coming generation.

Jasmine Jordan

Age: 16

Status: CEO and editor in chief, Tools for Living magazine

Education: Senior, High School of Economics and Finance, a division of the Academy of Finance in Manhattan; attended New York's School of Writing and Publishing

Background: Jordan founded the publication at age 12, in 1996, to promote personal and professional development, positive self-images, and pride in young people. Her brother is the graphic designer and publisher, while her mother, Winifred, assists with marketing and finance.

Jordan: I think that racism will still be a social problem, to a degree. But I believe that education is the great equalizer. If you have a decent education, you can go anywhere. Black people need to understand how to create wealth through the Rule of 72 (the formula used to calculate the effects of compounding interest). You need an education. You need to know how to make technology work for you--like how to do business on the Web. Blacks need to learn how to do business in international markets, understand foreign languages, foreign cultures. There are a lot of opportunities for minorities in foreign markets.

I personally do business in Italy, France, England, and Austria. You have to be multifaceted. The most important thing for teens to know is that we are the new standard. The flag is being passed to us and we need to carry it and do what we've got to do.

Tavis K. Bruce

Age: 15

Status: President and CEO, TK Worm Factory

Education: Sophomore, Springfield High School, Springfield, Illinois

Background: Bruce, whose favorite subject is science, was inspired to start his own business by an uncle, who was a businessman. His parents invested $200 for the launch of the now three-year-old fishing bait, composting, and fertilizer business. An only child, Bruce encourages his younger cousins to save their money and stay out of trouble. He is considering studying vermiculture and business administration in college.

Bruce: I think the biggest issue [for us] is economic. African Americans should start their own businesses, but mostly they should invest more. We can invest our money in the stock market to save it for a rainy day. Sometimes we spend too much money on clothes, worrying about having new things.

I save my spare change at home, and any extra bucks I have, I put into my savings account. I don't invest in stocks yet, but I put all of my revenues back into my business. African Americans who have businesses should put money back into their companies. You don't have to put all of it in, but it should be a good amount.

Noshua Watson

Age: 22

Status: Reporter, Fortune magazine

Education: M.A., economics, Stanford University; B.A., Mary Baldwin College

Background: Noshua and Tenea, as well as their younger sister, Cambria, 16 (pictured left to right), enrolled in the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted at Mary Baldwin College after completing the eighth grade of junior high. Cambria will be a junior this fall. Acceptance to the program is based on transcripts, standardized test scores, parent statements, recommendations, and social and emotional maturity.

Noshua Watson: The biggest issue facing our community is definitely related to increasing black business and black investments. Not only on the corporate level but also on the personal level. I think that black people need to have a better understanding of personal finance and savings. We need to know how to take care of ourselves throughout our lives. We also need to get the skills necessary for succeeding in the corporate world, and for building businesses as entrepreneurs.

Investment clubs can make a difference. There also needs to be a greater presence of financial institutions in the black community. There's certainly a need for more black-owned institutions, and ones directed at serving our needs.

Tenea Watson

Age: 20

Status: Student

Education: Ph.D. candidate, toxicology, University of Rochester; B.S., chemistry, Mary Baldwin College

Tenea Watson: Because there aren't many black researchers, a lot of the diseases that are more prominent in the African American community--with the exception of sickle-cell anemia--are not focused on and addressed. With the predominance of single-parent homes in our communities, I think this problem could extend to a lack of our representation in other fields, say psychology. There are a lot of issues we face that other ethnicities don't necessarily face.

I think if we had more black scientists and Ph.D.s, our problems would get more attention. It's a matter of education and recruitment. So much [of our success in the medical field] still relies on who you know and who your mentor is. If we had more African Americans in these positions who could serve as mentors, I think we could recruit a lot more black students into programs like mine.

For example, I was talking with a friend of mine in medical school, and we could think of only one black mentor in the medical center where I work. It's hard to go to work where there's nobody there who looks like you, or be in a class where the people teaching don't look like you. I feel that if we could get more African Americans into those positions, the solution would compound upon itself and extend into our communities.

These subjects have already begun to step up to the plate and do their part to make a positive change. The three Newark doctors, for example, have established the 3 Doctors Foundation (www.threedoctors.com), which will offer scholarships and support after-school programs. And, if their concerns are to be addressed and our communities are to be made stronger, we will all need to follow their lead. As the saying goes, if you're not a part of the solution, you're a part of the problem.