For 33 years, my organization has been sounding the alarm about the declining fortunes of young adults. The words of the 1988 Forgotten Half report are eerie today: “One of the cruelest myths of contemporary American life is the claim that our economy is healthy because unemployment is relatively low.” How did the Forgotten Half generation fare? Among those who actually participate in retirement plans – only 23% of GenXers feel a sense of progress saving for retirement. For today’s young people? The future is darker. In 1988, 61% of young adults ages 15-24 were employed at a given time. In 2019, that number was 51%. Then, the pandemic happened. The number of young people disconnected from school and work spiked to over 10 million last year. Fewer than half of young adults are now employed. The growth in college attendance was one bright spot since 1988. In that year, average tuition for a four-year institution was $8,117 in today’s dollars. In 2018, the comparable cost was $28,123…