I was born in 1964. The same year as both Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz - the last year of the Baby Boomers.

Calling Minnesota home for more than 40 years, I've had the privilege of voting for Walz twice. Despite my familiarity, and initial hesitation, I'm surprised (and energized) by their rocket-ascent into the presidential electoral landscape - only to be confirmed by the dynamic momentum of the Democratic National Convention.

Watching the approach has caused me to deeply think about their appeal - understanding that much of this renewed interest may simply be attributed to total relief over a new ticket. But there is more brewing that feels like finding something lost we didn't know was missing; a recognition that there is space for a unique consensus, beyond the Obama era, to shed the lies, quell the chaos and instead, confront the challenges of our planet, together. I dug deeper into their sandwiched generational status.

Those born in 1964 are often lumped into the "OK Boomer" bucket, but perhaps their bridge between generations has equipped Harris and Walz with the necessary pragmatism needed to navigate a world that was on the cusp of significant change - moving from personal ads to personal computers, from Ms. Magazine to Ms. Pac-Man, from cultural conflagrations to unprecedented inflation, and from counterculture to bean counting as pensions eroded and 401Ks became our own Special K.

We went from the open road to waiting in long lines to fill our gas-guzzling station wagons during the energy crisis of the 1970s. Shedding the obsession of British royalty, we ensconced our own Prince and for the first time, experienced an entire era of music on MTV. As we moved away from the 60's collectivism, and the latchkeys hung by the door, we had to create our own bubbles of individualism; mainly found in the dot-com era, until well, it busted.

But there was much to be learned from all of this. I feel like some kind of intrinsic nimbleness was mandatory in order to adapt and succeed during the hyper-rise of technology and uncertain economics. Born on the seam and pulling from both generations, perhaps Harris and Walz are emerging with a unique brand of individual collectivism desperately needed to address the gravest issues facing our country and planet. Having seen "both sides now," they need to turn on a dime to collectively pull together those who have been slugging it out on their own.

And for those individuals who have struggled, listening to a leader who consistently diverts blame to the chosen scapegoat of the moment and parlay that single storyline into a much-needed sense of belonging has repeatedly played itself out multiple times in history. I'm scared to death of Project 2025, the main tenet being a complete dismantling of the executive branch and hiring only those loyal to the president. Hasn't the world seen this before, like a million times? I read about it in my Jewish grandmother's personal journal as she, my grandfather, my aunt and my father in utero were forced to flee Vienna in 1939. It's easy to go backwards. Unfortunately, there are many playbooks from which to pull. It's clear that the Trump campaign refuses to bridge anything. They are single-minded in their approach and probably still use two spaces after a sentence.

Harris and Walz, born in between generations, need to use that experience to appeal to those who are straddling the political spectrum. So far, their practical approach of tapping into Walz's no-nonsense demeanor, coaching success, and middle-part-of-the-country appeal has created a collective self-propulsion. I'm feeling hopeful that we can move them from their banana seats to the ultimate seat at the table.