In 1989, the most popular name for girls in America was Jessica. In 2019, The Lily found 10 people who were named Jessica in 1989 to see where life has taken them and to understand what confronting 30 looks like today. We met people struggling to make ends meet, battling addictions, aiming higher in their careers, questioning their personal lives and reclaiming their confidence. What we found is that there is no one way to be 30 in America today.
In the past three decades, the world as we understand it has become smaller. We stream on demand. We friend, like and follow. We carry the world in our pockets every day. What hasn’t changed is that turning 30 continues to be a milestone moment — an opportunity to reflect and maybe even redefine. The profiles in this feature demonstrate these sentiments and the diverse experiences of a generation. “The Jessicas Are Turning 30” exemplifies The Lily’s innovative approach to multiplatform features. Our readers can experience this project as an interactive Web experience, an Instagram account, a newsletter, an audio segment and a short film screened in theaters, on television and online.
