I am a baby boomer.

I was born into the age of the bomb. My father and his seven brothers fought in World War II and worked hard to earn a better life for me and my brother. My mother worked as well, and together my parents became part of the largest generation of middle class in the world.

I went to public school, and became the first in my family to attend and graduate from college. It was my parent’s proudest moment.

My generation became the flower children of the 60’s and the forgotten heroes of Vietnam. We were inspired by Jack Kennedy to believe that anything was possible in America. We dreamed of traveling to the moon, even as the nightmare of Vietnam unfolded. We learned of the great generosity and unlimited potential of a free society and of the limits of both our power and our ideas.

We won the race to the Moon, lost a war in Vietnam, spent the Soviet Union into oblivion and created, in one land, the greatest economic and military power in world history, leaving both a legacy and a price tag for our children, and their children.

After being turned onto politics by the voice of Kennedy and the force of Vietnam, Watergate disappointed us and turned us inward, having us believe in the greater power of the private sector and the cynicism of politicians. We want to believe again, but will always be skeptics.

We are responsible for the great social movements of our time, standing on the shoulders of our parents: Women’s rights, Civil Rights, democracy and economic freedom.

We do not speak with one voice, nor do we share a single view. However, we are, and we have always been, an undeniable force.

Four years ago, I received a invitation to join AARP. I was insulted. I am not ready to retire – not today. There’s still too much to be done: ladders to climb, movements to sustain, and most important, our parents’ grandchildren (our children) to educate and launch into the world. Ironically, our goal for them is the same as my mother’s and father’s goal for me – make certain that the next generation of Americans is better off than the previous: the American Dream.

Take us for granted at your own risk.

Every seven seconds a Boomer turns 50. We are the fastest growing population segment, the most affluent consumer group, account for 40% of total consumer demand, average $24,000 in disposable annual income and control more than 48% of all discretionary purchases. 70% of us are willing to try new brands, we own over 80% of all money in savings accounts, 79% of America’s financial assets and 62% of all large Wall Street investment accounts. We spend $2 trillion dollars on goods and services each year. And, almost forgotten in all this is that we live online, purchase more goods there and are organizing ourselves there faster than anyone. After all, we invented the Internet and its next generation.

Yet, marketers and politicians are largely ignoring us, even as we turn older and begin to have grave concerns about our legacy and our children’s future

We know how to organize. We know the power of spending and the force of collective action. We are cynical of promises and punish those who fail to keep them.

We are not finished yet. We are an undeniable force.

Take us for granted at your own risk.

We are Baby Boomers.