Will Larkins and Sis Urge Gen Z to Stay Politically Engaged in New Campaign

As the midterm elections near their final tallies, one thing is certain: Gen Z voters have played a massive role in halting the “red wave.” But even as the fate of the US legislature remains hanging in the balance, a new national advertising campaign is looking to mobilize Gen Z beyond election day. Aptly named “We’ll Take It From Here,” the campaign will consist of a series of free video classes delivered by Gen Z activists, giving viewers practical advice on how to get involved.

The campaign is led by IGNITE, an Oakland-based organization that seeks to empower all women towards political action and leadership. One of the main features of their “We’ll Take It From Here” campaign is the free video series “No Masters Class by IGNITE.” These classes aim to give young viewers the agency to take advocacy into their own hands—rather than relying on broken systems and disproportionately older, wealthier politicians.

The first two of these free classes are already live. Lesson 1, How to Mobilize a Walkout, is led by Will Larkins—the seventeen-year-old leader of the largest student walkout in protest of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Lesson 2, How to Fight for Visibility, is led by Sis—the 21-year-old trans star of Broadway’s Oklahoma! and the founder of The Next Generation Project which advocates for Black and Brown trans people.

“If you’re Gen Z and you think you don’t have what it takes to make change,” says Larkin, “to be quite blunt, you’re wrong. You can make change. We are the generation that is going to change things. We are the generation that is going to make a difference.”

“Protests and marches come from pushback,” says Sis, “so when you’re receiving pushback from the entity or the cause that you’re fighting for, then it becomes pertinent to organize. People see more than five people in a group come together—that changes hearts and minds.”

The “We’ll Take it from Here” campaign was developed pro-bono by Le Truc, “one of the world’s largest communications & advertising companies,” according to a press release. Marcos Kolthar, CCO of Le Truc writes, “With No Masters Class by IGNITE, we are bringing Gen Z voices to the forefront to show how the next generation of activists is outsmarting the political systems of yesterday – and how others can follow suit. Because as the old saying goes, if you want something done, you have to do it yourself.”

The next episode of “No Masters Class by IGNITE” featuring disability advocate Emily Flores is soon to follow. For updates on the campaign and lesson series, be sure to sign up for their newsletter or follow their YouTube channel.