At one of Hip Hop’s largest annual events, Hip Hop Caucus is working with activists, academics, and artists to drive social justice and environmental solutions through advocacy and non-partisan electoral organizing
Atlanta, Georgia – October 6, 2017 – This week at one of the world’s largest hip hop festivals, Hip Hop Caucus has partnered with A3C to train and organize young people on the power of art, music, and hip hop culture advance social justice and civic engagement. Founded in 2005, A3C has grown from a local showcase to become one of the most important hip-hop events of the year, and is commonly referred to as “Hip-Hop’s Family Reunion.”
The Action Summit at A3C powered by Hip Hop Caucus is two days of dedicated programming at the Auburn Avenue Research Library in the center of the festival stages and events in Atlanta. The programing includes a series of events and workshops featuring activists, academics, and artists that explore how to best address social justice challenges through community driven solutions and develop actionable initiatives for young people. Three major tracks for the Action Summit are Police Reform, Getting Out the Youth Vote, and Climate Change and Environmental Justice.
As part of the Action Summit, Hip Hop Caucus joined forces with the Center for Civic Innovation for the A3C Action Pitch National Competition to find, support, and invest in new, innovative ideas that use hip-hop culture as a vehicle to advance social justice and civic engagement. Five finalists will do their final pitches in front of judges and a national audience at the A3C Action Summit this evening. Finalists are competing for $10,000 in cash and business development training. More information on the pitch competition can be found here.
“Social justice movements need innovation and need the energy of young people to drive bold agendas,” said Liz Havstad, COO and Executive Director of Hip Hop Caucus, who will be one of the judges of the Pitch Competition. “Hip Hop Caucus invests in creative communities and young people to be the drivers of change through advocacy and non-partisan electoral organizing, and we are proud to bring empowerment to cultural spaces like the A3C Festival and Conference.”
The Action Summit at A3C powered by Hip Hop Caucus will also feature keynotes from No Malice, formerly of the acclaimed rap duo The Clipse, and Mustafa Santiago Ali, Senior Vice President of Climate, Environmental Justice & Community Revitalization at Hip Hop Caucus.
“At this moment in our country, we must use hip hop – the artform and the culture – to help us organize our collective voices to create change,” said No Malice. “There is a moral voice in Hip Hop that speaks to injustice and struggle, and that is what we are tapping into at the Action Summit at A3C powered by Hip Hop Caucus, and it is what we are tapping into right now in my home state of Virginia to get young people out to vote in our election this November.”
For more information about Hip Hop Caucus at A3C, please visit www.HipHopCaucus.org/A3C and www.a3cfestival.com/action-summit. You can also continue the conversation with us on social media, @HipHopCaucus on everything.
MEDIA CONTACT: Mark Antoniewicz, mark@w0c.71c.mwp.accessdomain.com, 202-870-8476
ABOUT HIP HOP CAUCUS: Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that connects the Hip Hop community to the civic process to build power and create positive change. Through a collaborative leadership network and support of community-driven solutions, HHC focuses on addressing core issues affecting underserved and vulnerable communities. HHC hopes to establish the culture and practice of voting as part of a desired civic lifestyle as well as empower and train leaders and volunteers from our communities to be strategic leaders, messengers, and spokespeople for issues critical to equality, justice, and opportunity.
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