When we became friends in college, we shared three dreams: we wanted to be heard, we wanted to be understood, and we wanted to make a dent in the universe. Our medium of choice was the video camera, but we didn’t have a proper distribution channel. Web video lacked the visceral power of television, and traditional TV was closed to kids like us. But all that was about to change. During our last semester at the University of Miami, we made a short film about reconciling our impulse toward sensuous experiences with our desire for ascetic transcendence. We wanted to show that living a full life and feeling spiritually fulfilled weren’t mutually exclusive. We were passionate and had something fresh to say—we just needed an outlet. As we were finishing the project, we heard that Al Gore was looking for “passionate storytellers” for a new venture that would “democratize” television. We submitted the film in lieu of a résumé, and were selected from a pool of four thousand applicants. Before we knew it, we’d been whisked off to L.A. to become anchors of Current TV, Gore’s new cable channel designed to provide a platform for young voices like ours. The network offered a groundbreaking approach to news by allowing audience members to create more than thirty percent of its programming. Soon, Current had become the fastest-growing TV network in history, feted with an Emmy just two years after its birth. And, much to our surprise, we’d become the faces of a media transformation that turned “citizen journalism” and “user-generated content” into buzzwords. Our path provides a perfect example of the new opportunities for creative expression that are opening up—you just have to be bold enough to put yourself out there. We were born into an age of infinite possibility, where advancements in media technology have made it possible for all of us to live the dreams the two of us shared in college. We have access to a remarkable array of creative tools to document the stories of our lives, stories not just about individuals, but about humanity in all of its struggles, successes, setbacks, contradictions, and bittersweet ironies. And by participating in this creative free-for-all, we can all become artist-revolutionaries and influencers, empowered to create the world we want to live in. One need only look at this year’s presidential race, where one candidate has truly embraced the power of new media, to see the impact that this 21^st-century brand of civic engagement can have on the culture at large. The power is in our hands to make a more democratic, equitable society, but it’s up to each and every one of us to take advantage of the new opportunities we’ve been given. With the click of a mouse, you can broadcast your voice to the world. The revolution is here. Are you in?

Max and Jason are the founding hosts and producers of the Emmy-winning Current TV, the international television net work cofounded by Al Gore to pioneer user-generated content, citizen journalism, and audience participation. In May 2008, the duo hosted Pangea Day, a broadcast of short films that reached more than 150 countries. They are currently featured in GAP’s “Icons” campaign. W W W.CURRENT.COM/MAXANDJASON

PHOTOGRAPHY JEREMY AND CLAIRE WEISS PHOTO ASSISTANT ELI WEISS MAX (LEF T) WEARS T-SHIRT VINTAGE JEANS DIESEL JASON (RIGHT) WEARS T-SHIRT AND BELT GAP PANTS DIESEL