In West Philadelphia, born and raised! As his childhood neighbor, Will Smith was cultivating his rapping skills, Will Mega was honing his own skills as a future political leader.

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His interest in politics peaked at the age of 12 when he passed out e-day ballots at a polling place on a West Philly Street corner. As a campaign volunteer in the 52nd ward for Philadelphia’s first black mayor Wilson Goode Jr., he was destined to become a politico in his own right.

 

While still a high school student, Will Mega was recruited to mobilize young people in West Philly for PA State Senator Vincent Hughes. He went on to use these skills he developed in blue-collar Philadelphia, the last bastion of United States ward politics, to organize the black student body at West Chester University, PA.

 

In 2001 Mega co-founded the National Political Hip Hop Convention alongside Ras Baraka and young activist and politicos from across the country, which attracted thousands of young people to get politically engaged.

 

Later he leveraged his political and entertainment relationships to partner with P. Diddy’s (Sean Combs) “Citizen Change - Vote or Die” campaign. He organized over 10,000 college students in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh during the 2004 Presidential election to get young people registered to get out and vote. As a result of his efforts, he was awarded the Voice and Opportunity through Elections Community Service Award from IBEW Local 98 and Galaxy Enterprises in 2004.

 

Later he served as Chief of Staff for a PA State House Representative Kenyatta Johnson. He has run successful campaigns for several Philadelphia and Pennsylvania politicians. His master’s thesis was written on voter registration and mobilization of people aged 18-35. Students will walk away inspired to take political action.