50+ Generation Xers shaping Charlotte today

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Axios) - Millennials still command Charlotte’s love and attention.

But the generations that preceded them did most of the work to help build this city of millennial dreams. And the generation coming behind millennials, Gen Z, is key to ensuring Charlotte feels young.

Driving the news (sort of): Last summer, I asked readers to nominate Gen Xers shaping our city. We got a ton of nominations.

Why it matters: For a generation that relishes in being overlooked, Generation X has a lot of horsepower in our city. The people on this list, born between 1965 and 1980, are driving our food scene, leading billion-dollar businesses, and still setting style trends.

• On top of that, they are having a moment culturally: 1990s music is the most popular music in modern America, according to a July 2022 story from Axios’ Emily Peck, citing data from Luminate.

State of play: Folks in Generation X are all now circling 50, their lives a collection of Polaroid prints, disposable camera snapshots and smartphone files.

• They remember when prank calls were good-hearted, when Grandmama was the portrait of Charlotte youth, and Nirvana T-shirts weren’t throwbacks.

Now, here’s to the Gen Xers on this list. And to those I forgot, I have faith that, of all the people of all the generations in all the history of the world, you are the most likely to not give a damn. In fact, congratulations on being left out!

• Read on or whatever.

» Read the full list of all 50 people here

Featured in Axios’ lineup:

WBTV and QC Life’s Kristen Miranda

Why her: Go anywhere with Kristen — from Plaza Midwood to Ballantyne to the outer suburbs to, heck, even places like Salisbury — and someone is guaranteed to stop her and tell her how much they love her.

• The easy-going, energetic WBTV personality can seamlessly shift from lighthearted stories making cookies and ice cream in the kitchen, to serious matters like crime and politics, and never lose a viewer.

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