Re-Earth Initiative is the international, Gen Z-led climate activist group. Though their plans for an Earth Day strike were canceled, it didn’t deter their mission to educate the public and advocate for change.

Today, Xiye Bastida, Joseph Wilkanowski, Sebastián Benfeld, Solomon Anomet O’Jay, plus the many members and volunteers apart of We The Planet, have organized a campaign to do just that:

“As we know, the April 22nd and April 24th strikes will have to be canceled or postponed globally due to COVID-19,” the team explains. “This presents a great challenge for the public to focus and mobilize for climate justice, but our goal is to keep the conversations going. We are focused to keep this discussion going, especially in such a crucial time.”

Join the conversation via Instagram, and learn about the campaign below:

How were you able to transition this strike to a digital realm?

We were able to transition climate activism from protest to online was by relying on the same community of organizers who are part of our climate strike family. Together we were able to rapidly adjust to keep pushing for awareness through webinars, online challenges, op-eds, live interviews, and many other methods. The diversification of tactics actually brought us closer with people who we wouldn't otherwise have met

—Xiye Bastida

Tell us about the events and actions apart of We The Planet's Earth Day campaign.

Due to the overall constrictions of the pandemic, activists from around the world are now forced to think about new ways to make up for not being able to go out on the streets. We The Planet has prioritized making sure that we have multiple interviews that either our core coordinators are taking or members of our volunteer team. We have also been able to set up webinars, and other school education live streams for any questions that students or the public would have. Tessie, Kate, Aman, and I just took part in a webinar with a school located in India, and we were amazed by the deep and riveting questions we received.

On Earth Day, many of us are taking part in webinars or interviews to educate or answer people about climate awareness and justice. This Earth Day, people should prioritize education and tangible action. There are so many ways to advocate for the environment, but it's extremely important to become aware of the harmful habits or practices that you or your community engage in. Once you have this knowledge and understanding, it's much easier to recognize issues and develop solutions. Find helpful articles, studies, pieces of legislation you want to support, etc. and share them with the people around you! Then, figure out what steps you can take in your own life, whether it's buying produce locally or reducing your plastic consumption, and make an action plan to continue sustainability even after Earth Day.

—Joseph Wilkanowski and Kelli Converso

What can we expect from the youth written op-eds?

We can expect amazing and revolutionary op-eds about the environment and human rights that will be spread all over the world. The voice of climate justice will reach all the corners of the world.

—Sebastián Benfeld

What can we do to join your mission today?

The rise for a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental human right. It affects all, but it is seldom discussed globally today. Therefore incorporate and join us in the climate change discussion and advocacy platforms for a more sound action in securing and making the world a better place to live.

—Solomon Anomet O'Jay

Written by Morgan Vickery

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Earth Day We The Planet Xiye Bastida Joseph Wilkanowski Sebastián Benfeld Solomon Anomet O'Jay Digital Climate Strike Morgan Vickery