While studying community organizing at Harvard Kennedy School, I was tasked with building a grassroots initiative from the ground up. I launched CharlestonFTW — a community-led campaign focused on rejecting offshore oil drilling along South Carolina’s coast and advancing the transition toward sustainable energy. Grounded in strategic organizing principles, we built coalitions, mobilized local voices, and used creative storytelling to shift public opinion and influence policy. The result: a successful win in halting drilling efforts, and a growing momentum around clean energy in the region. More than a campaign, CharlestonFTW became a movement — a model for how thoughtful design, strategic communication, and grassroots energy can come together to drive real change.