Episode 22

Growing Up Millennial: Charlie Wells on What Shaped a Generation

Published on: 15th October, 2025

Journalist Charlie Wells is a Millennial — and by now, something of an expert on the Millennial generation, too. In his debut book, What Happened to Millennials: In Defense of a Generation, he shares the stories of five people whose lives reveal what it’s really been like to grow up Millennial — through the early optimism, the crises that shaped us, and all the change we’ve weathered along the way.

"We're adults and we've overcome a lot of obstacles as this group of people. It's okay to celebrate that."

Hear Charlie talk about:

  • Why he wanted to explore what it’s really been like to grow up as a Millennial
  • How he chose the five people whose lives he shares in the book
  • How major moments like 9/11 and the rise of the internet shaped Millennial identity
  • The nostalgia objects — from Tamagotchis to AIM screen names — that connect us across divides
  • Why he feels proud of Millennials, and what he hopes we carry forward into the next chapter of adulthood

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About the Podcast

Tell Me What It's Like
Everyday People. Defining Moments.
Ever wonder what it really feels like to live through something extraordinary?

On Tell Me What It’s Like, host Stacy Raine talks with people who’ve faced defining moments – from running a world marathon to surviving a rare illness to building something entirely new. Hear the real experiences behind extraordinary choices as they discuss how it happened, what it felt like, and the lessons they learned along the way.

About your host

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Stacy Raine

I was 16 when I conducted my first interview. I was a nervous high school kid assigned to interview a WWII veteran. It was an incredibly emotional conversation, and an experience I still think about to this day. I didn’t know it then, but that moment would shape everything that followed.

As a nonprofit communicator and podcast producer, I’ve spent my career thinking about the stories we all have to share. Tell Me What It’s Like unearths the backstory to the small and large moments that changed everything.

One of my biggest beliefs is that sharing stories connects us – as long as we're willing to listen.