The average age of a U.S. congressional representative is 57.5. Maxwell Frost, Congress’s first Gen Z member, offers a look at what comes next for the country. As former director of March for Our Lives, the 29-year-old Floridian has championed gun control, helping to establish the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention in 2023.
What do you want to see more of in your industry? Less of?
We need more passion in Congress and less ambition. I see a lot of ambition with people wanting to climb the ladder, but I strive to have passion. I’m passionate about waking up every day to represent and serve the people of Florida’s 10th Congressional District, making sure the community has access to the services it needs to thrive.
What’s been the hardest part of your career so far?
One of the hardest parts has been watching progress get rolled back and navigating the intense gridlock in DC, which can make it incredibly difficult to pass meaningful legislation. There are so many days when it’s hard to feel hopeful, and I know many people feel that same weight.
But I’ve come to believe that hope is a choice. Despite the constant chaos and gridlock, I choose hope every day. Because the moment we stop choosing hope for a better future is the moment we stop fighting for it.
When you were little, what were you known for?
I spent more days in sixth grade in detention than not, for talking. I was known for talking too much and always making jokes, which is funny because now a big part of my job is yapping. Getting into a lot of trouble led me to get involved in band and advocacy at a super young age.
What’s one work of art that got you through an important moment in your life?
For many of us, the pandemic was a pivotal and incredibly difficult moment in our nation’s history. Early on in the pandemic, before I ran for office, I was a national organizer for March For Our Lives during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. I found so much comfort in watching Avatar: The Last Airbender. It was my first rewatch since I was a kid, and watching it as an adult, I realized what a beautiful series it was. It had some of the best character development in TV. Speaking of characters, I was also obsessed with Mad Men and shortly after began spending too much money on urban and vintage suits, which has come in handy being in Congress.
Name an influence of yours that might surprise people.
All of my musical training through high school was rooted in classical and jazz. After graduating, I was heavily influenced by George Daniel, the drummer for The 1975, and developed a new appreciation for music beyond what I had been formally taught. I would spend hours playing along to his YouTube videos and even took a couple of lessons with his drum teacher, Dave Elitch.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in your field?
Something in the music industry, for sure. For five years, I worked in production dispatch for Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Festival, and I always thought I’d build my career in the live music world. Back in 2014, I started a lunchtime concert series at my high school, inspired in part by watching Bruno Mars’s halftime show. It made me fall in love with live performance—not just the headliner, but the entire band and production behind it. That experience even led me to create a high school program that still exists today.
Fortunately, I’ve been able to channel that passion into my work in Congress, whether through legislation like my CREATE Art Act, which supports independent artists, or through MadSoul, a music festival I organize that brings together music, advocacy, and politics.
What grounds you, and what invigorates you?
When it comes to the near-constant pressure of the chaos and cruelty happening around us, this work can be incredibly stressful and emotionally heavy. That’s why it’s so important for me to take a step back and ground myself in community and the things that bring me joy as often as I can. I spend as much time as I can back home in Orlando connecting with constituents, playing music, organizing locally, and being with family and friends. Those moments give me the strength to keep showing up for my community and doing this work.
Where do you feel most at home?
It’s the honor of a lifetime to represent the community that raised me, so I’m back in Orlando as often as I can be. For me, home isn’t just a place, it’s the people. Whether I’m talking with constituents, spending time in the community, or hanging out with friends and family, those are the moments when I feel most at home.
What question do you ask yourself most often while you’re making work?
How am I leading with love?
When’s the last time you laughed hysterically?
During the Sundance Film Festival, which was a really difficult weekend for me, there was at least one bright moment. Watching The Invite, there were points where the entire crowd just lost it, laughing out loud all at once, and that shared energy made the experience unforgettable.
To read more from the 2026 CULT100 honorees, see the full list here.
in your life?
