Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., joined 'MediaBuzz' to discuss why the Democratic Party's approval is dwindling as it struggles to identify a new strategy. 

Gen Z is on the verge of opting out. Not out of laziness — out of disillusionment. We’ve inherited a roadmap that no longer leads anywhere, and for many of us, the American Dream feels more like a bedtime story than a blueprint for life.

I know this because I almost walked away from it too. But I didn’t. And now I’m building the tools to make sure others don’t have to.

I’m 23 years old, a first-generation American. My parents came here from China in the late ’90s, carrying little more than hope and an oversized suitcase. They believed — maybe more than anything — that hard work meant opportunity. They didn’t have much, but they had that belief. And through discipline and what I now recognize as unimaginable sacrifice, they carved out a life that gave me the freedom to dream bigger than they ever could.

THE AMERICAN DREAM SLIPS FURTHER AWAY AS YOUNGER ADULTS RETREAT TO PARENTS' HOMES

That dream led me to pave my own way. I started investing in 2nd grade with a custodian account I begged my parents to open. I dropped out of high school to build and sell my first company, a virtual reality startup. 

I then found myself starting Harvard at the height of the pandemic. From my dorm room, I participated in the COVID investing boom -- memestocks, crypto, super-star fund managers… I embraced it all. And the eventual collapse of the mania inspired me to take action. I dropped out to build dub, a fintech platform to help all Americans invest with more clarity and confidence.

In many ways, I’m living proof that the American Dream is still possible. But I know I’m an outlier. And unless we make bold changes — fast — my generation will stop believing it’s even worth trying.

We recently partnered with Harris Poll to ask Americans how they really feel about their financial future. What we found is sobering.

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