When 1Community set out to amplify the film WINNER, we saw more than just a story about a whistleblower. We saw Reality Winner: a courageous young woman who rescued abused dogs, volunteered at shelters, and donated huge chunks of her salary to the Red Cross. The film portrays her as someone who simply couldn’t ignore injustice, whether that meant standing up to an abusive neighbor or calling out government lies to the American public. This authentic, deeply human portrait gave us a unique opportunity to inspire a new generation to engage with their communities and take action when it matters most.

Our “Reality Is Us” campaign launched with a bold mission: reshape how young people think about civic engagement. Rather than focusing narrowly on elections and voting, we wanted to build a vision of active, collective participation where our system of government is only as strong and courageous as we are. Through extensive message testing (seven rounds of iteration with a sample size of approximately 2,000 people), focus groups with veterans and Gen Z activists, and partnerships with leading organizations, we developed a campaign that resonated. The message was simple but powerful: speaking up isn’t always easy, but when the stakes are high, telling a difficult truth can feel like the only right thing to do.

The campaign came alive through strategic partnerships with six national action organizations including Represent Us, Right to Be, and Power the Polls, each offering young people tangible ways to strengthen their communities. We worked with influencers like V from Under the Desk News (4.7 million followers) and partnered with Gen Z for Change’s network of over 450 creators. Our Instagram account generated 1,433,120 impressions, while influencer partnerships amplified our message by an additional 282,327 views. Every piece of content pushed the same idea: our system of government doesn’t get better without us taking action.

Following the 2024 election, we pivoted to an ambitious pardon campaign for Reality Winner. We deployed an inside-outside strategy, working with Reality’s legal team while building massive public support. Celebrity voices including Connie Britton, who portrayed Reality’s mother in the film, sent letters directly to the White House Chief of Staff. Our January 13th Day of Action became a viral moment, with V from Under the Desk News alone generating over 350,000 views and 10,189 petition signatures in a single day. We projected “PARDON REALITY WINNER” onto the Department of Justice building during rush hour and placed a powerful op-ed by Reality’s mother in The Daily Beast the day before Inauguration.

By the numbers, the campaign reached 1,930,090 people, built an opt-in SMS list of nearly 35,000 subscribers, and inspired 62,486 actions ranging from petition signatures to volunteer commitments with partner organizations. We gathered over 45,000 signatures demanding Reality’s pardon. While President Biden ultimately did not include Reality in his final pardons, the campaign succeeded in reshaping the conversation around civic courage and giving Reality a platform to share her story on her own terms. Today, Reality runs a CrossFit gym in her hometown of Kingsville, Texas, rescues stray dogs, and was recently accepted into veterinary technical training school. She continues living by the values that defined her story: showing up for her community and fighting for what’s right, no matter the cost.