Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it onto our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

Today, we are faced with a perilous question: Has the torch of freedom been put out -- and is it on the verge of extinction?

It may seem that way at times, but don't believe it. The flame is just in need of more fuel to reignite it. And for freedom to last, it must be reignited, fought for, and protected by each new generation. It’s time for the millennial generation to rise to the occasion.

Millennials -- the generation born from 1981 to 1997 -- have overtaken Baby Boomers as the largest living generation in the country. This fact holds tremendous implications for the future, as a new crop of leaders emerge and begin to charge the nation’s course.

Indeed, millennials are the nation’s future leaders and policymakers. The first generation to grow up with devices like cell phones and personal computers will soon shape national policy. It is essential that, as young Americans take the reins of leadership, we are guided by the principles of freedom and opportunity and an understanding of how those tenets can take root in the public policy discussion.

The millennial generation is innovative and creative, and we are naturally attuned to freedom. Just think about the unprecedented amount of choices and opportunities that we have before us. I'm talking about Uber and Lyft, and apps, and plentiful smartphone options. Innovations like these only come through individual initiative and achievement, which stems directly from being free to choose, free to create, and free to sell.

Unfortunately, many millennials have been led astray by promises of free stuff in a land of milk and honey. That is why we’ve founded the Millennial Policy Foundation. MPF is a new kind of think tank that will fundamentally reframe the policy debate among millennials and promote solutions that harness freedom, choice, and the unlimited potential of each and every individual.

Our mission is to spark creativity and ingenuity in solving the policy problems of the day. We are reimagining the idea of the think tank as not simply an idea-factory to influence policymakers, but as a persuasive force for practical, principled solutions to our nation's problems. We will reach millennials where they are and help shape the debate among all generations in the process.

MPF’s goal is to reach this generation and speak their language. The Foundation will conduct research, propose solutions to public policy problems, and communicate these ideas to a cross-generational audience. We will tackle key issues facing our nation, from jobs and the cost of college to healthcare and the national debt.

Not only will we publish the standard research papers and briefs on the issues of the day, but we will also take a unique approach to reach millennials through the art of video and social media.

Effective research and development, high-quality video production, and the ability to start bringing on a savvy team of policy fellows and staff require financial resources. That’s why we’ve launched our 40-day Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign: using an innovative platform to raise initial funds in order to lay the groundwork for the Millennial Policy Foundation.

I am writing to invite you to join the journey -- to help shine the light of freedom with millennials. Together, we can reshape the policy debate and inspire a new generation to solve our nation’s challenges through freedom and opportunity.

For more information and to support the Millennial Policy Foundation’s Indiegogo campaign, visit www.MillennialPolicyFoundation.org.