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North Carolina News You Can Use

Video: Gen Z leader in NC says her peers are exhausted, but not checked out

By Jessica F. Simmons, Staff Reports

November 4, 2025

Cardinal & Pine talks with Hannah Preston of Influence NC about Gen Z and politics.

Influence NC Founder Hannah Preston says exhaustion is the mood of 2025—but it’s also the motivation. She believes young southerners, especially in a changing North Carolina, are redefining what it means to belong and to care about politics. “I was exhausted,” Preston said. “And that’s why I started Influence NC.”

In October, the group had a launch party in Durham. To watch Cardinal & Pine’s full interview, with Preston, click here.

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Authors

  • Jessica F. Simmons

    Jessica F. Simmons is a Reporter & Strategic Communications Producer for COURIER, covering community stories and public policies across the country. Featured in print, broadcast, and radio journalism, her work shows her passion for local storytelling and amplifying issues that matter to communities nationwide.

  • Staff Reports
CATEGORIES: LOCAL VIDEO

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