Washington D.C. – In advance of the planned hearings for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh next month in the United States Senate, Hip Hop Caucus and dozens of the nation’s leading environmental, legal, and advocacy organizations recently sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee announcing their opposition to Kavanaugh’s nomination.
The letter details our opposition to his nomination, including the exert: “At a time when too many communities of color bear a disproportionate impact from toxic wastes, loose emission standards, dangerous petrochemical facilities and pipelines placed in their communities, we need a Supreme Court Justice that will combat environmental racism and fight for environmental justice for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, or income – not someone who will bar the courthouse doors on them.”
Hurricane Katrina 13th Anniversary March & Second Line
NEW ORLEANS COMMUNITY, HIP HOP ARTISTS, AND ACTIVISTS TO COMMEMORATE THE 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE KATRINA, CALL FOR A LEADERS TO ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE
New Orleans, Louisiana – To remember the lives lost, honor the resiliency of the community, and advocate for the people most devastated by Hurricane Katrina, Hip Hop Caucus, New Orleans Katrina Commemoration Foundation, Nuthin’ But Fire Records, Q93, and numerous community partners are hosting the 13th annual Hurricane Katrina March & Second Line this Sunday, August 26, 2018.
As part of the commemorative day, organizers are asking participants and supporters to:
Remember: by calling on the state of Louisiana to make August 29 a holiday commemorating the lives lost in Katrina.
Right the Wrongs: by calling for racial and economic justice, so that in the face of disaster, poor and people of color are not left without the ability to rebuild communities with good schools, good jobs, and good public health and safety.
Say “Never Again”: by calling for action on climate change from local, state, federal and world leaders, otherwise we will only see more of these extreme weather events like Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Irma, and Maria around the world.
The day’s events will begin with a healing ceremony next to the breached levee in the Lower Ninth Ward, followed by a march through the streets which will, in New Orleans tradition, feed into the a very large second line. The second line will end at Hunter’s Field with a rally hosted by Wild Wayne of radio station Q 93.
The event will feature speakers and performers including prominent community and cultural leaders. This event serves as the largest annual community based commemoration of the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and shows first-hand the consequences of climate disasters on communities who thirteen years later are still recovering.
Photojournalists are welcome to capture this event that acknowledge the somberness of the occasion while celebrating the heart and soul of New Orleans.
WHAT: Hurricane Katrina 13th Anniversary – March & Second Line
WHEN: Sunday, August 26, 2018 – 10:00 AM EST
WHERE: From Jourdan Avenue & Galvez Street (Lower Ninth Ward) to Hunter Field (between North Claiborne Avenue & St. Bernard Avenue) – New Orleans, Louisiana
SCHEDULE:
10:00am-10:30am – Healing Ceremony:
Lower Ninth Ward between North Galvez Street & Jourdan Avenue
A healing ceremony held right against the backdrop of where the levees broke in the Lower Ninth Ward. Community members gather for a multi-faith prayer and a reading of the names of those who died during Hurricane Katrina.
10:30am-12:30pm – March & second line:
The march will transition into a second line to Hunter’s Field. The second line will feature New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass Band.
12:30pm-4:30pm – Rally:
Hunter’s Field between North Claiborne Avenue & St. Bernard Avenue
An afternoon program with speakers and performers, vendors and community organizations, including Rev Yearwood, Mia X, Sess 4-5, Ms. Tee, Dmann, Hustlaz, Bobby Jean, Shorty, DJ7 and DJ Rabbit.
WHO:
Hosts:
Wild Wayne – Q93 On-Air DJ and New Orleans native
Second Line:
Led by famous New Orleans Hot 8 Brass Band
Speakers and Performers:
Rev Yearwood, President & CEO, Hip Hop Caucus
Mia X, pioneering rapper and recording artist from New Orleans
Sess 4-5, CEO Nuthin But Fire Records, recording artist and prominent community activist
Hustlaz
Ms. Tee
Bobby Jean
Shorty World
Dmann
DJ Rabbit
DJ7
WHY: This annual anniversary event will be the second line for the 13th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The full day of activities will demonstrate the resilience of the community and honor the lives lost 13 years ago. The speakers and messages will also highlight the continued struggle of families to navigate post-Katrina New Orleans’ realities because of racial and economic inequities; and it will call on all of us to prevent any future disasters of this magnitude by addressing climate change.
CONTACT:
MEDIA CONTACT: Mark Antoniewicz, mark@w0c.71c.mwp.accessdomain.com, 202-740-1177
FOR MORE INFO ON SECOND LINE: call Sess at 504-342-6977
About New Orleans Katrina Commemoration Foundation: New Orleans Katrina Commemoration Foundation annually organizes the largest community-led remembrance event on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, August 29th.
About Hip Hop Caucus: Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that leverages Hip Hop culture to encourage young people to participate in the democratic process. Through a collaborative leadership network, HHC addresses core issues affecting undeserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders. Learn more at HipHopCaucus.org.
Hip Hop Caucus Statement: Trump’s Dirty Power Scam
Washington, D.C. – Today former coal lobbyist, and Trump’s Acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Andrew Wheeler, unveiled a bogus plan to help a few corporate polluters and bury President Obama’s signature domestic climate policy to cut carbon emissions causing climate change, protect the health of our communities and create millions of clean energy jobs. In response to this backwards move, Mustafa Santiago Ali, Senior Vice President for Climate, Environmental Justice, & Community Revitalization at Hip Hop Caucus, and former EPA Senior Associate Administrator, released the following statement:
“To no surprise, Trump and his corporate puppets running our government are again putting profits over people. Their new “Affordable Clean Energy Plan” is neither affordable nor clean, and nothing more than a dirty and dangerous scam. The plan’s bogus basis and spinning rhetoric was written by fossil fuel industry insiders and climate deniers to fatten the pockets of a few by propping up a dying industry in the short run, while ignoring the immense health benefits and economic opportunities that come with a just transition to the clean energy solutions that exist today. This action is harmful to the health of our kids now and our ability to ensure future generations are able to thrive on the planet.
American people across the country face the dangerous and deadly consequences from the prolonged burning of fossil fuels, including stronger storms, more wildfires, and longer droughts. The Trump Administration continues to simply ignore the health and livelihood of the American people, especially our most vulnerable communities, who face disproportionate impacts at the front lines of exposure to pollution emitted from fossil fuel industry facilities and the extreme weather from climate change. They are also ignoring the incredible public input and due diligence that went into creating the Obama Administration’s bold Clean Power Plan, which aims to create a stronger, healthier, and more prosperous future for all.
Unfortunately the plan released today is just another giveaway to fossil fuel industry executives who are already receiving billions of taxpayer dollars in subsidies from the Trump Administration. The vast majority of American people will see see right through this corporate giveaway and empty rhetoric. They know the difference between real solutions that will take us forward, and phony plans that will take us backwards like this.”
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Hip Hop Caucus (www.w0c.71c.mwp.accessdomain.com) is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 2004 that uses the power of Hip Hop culture to engage and empower young people and communities of color in the civic and political process. Follow @hiphopcaucus on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Episode 22 features our good friend Kendrick Sampson, star in the brand new season of Insecure on HBO. While he is building an impressive acting career, he is also one of the most “woke” artists in Hollywood. He is both an artist and activist, or what we like to call an “Artivist”. We’re also covering updates on the upcoming Global Climate Action Summit and People’s Climate March for Climate, Jobs, & Justice in San Francisco this September, the Trump Administration’s new “Dirty Power Scam”, and thirteen years after Hurricane Katrina.
THE GUEST: Kendrick Sampson’s artivism is not just online; he’s helping lead the movement for solutions to injustices facing our communities including unjust immigration, policing, and criminal justice systems, lack of access to clean air and water, and disproportionate impacts from climate change. You can find him on the ground in communities, and at rallies and mass mobilizations, standing side by side with real people in the struggle. In 2016, he joined Hip Hop Caucus at Standing Rock to stand in solidarity with the Water Protectors fighting against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with his career and activism (@Kendrick38).
All photo rights to HBO
Think 100% challenges environmental injustices and shares just solutions to climate change, including a transition to 100% clean energy for all. The show is hosted by national civil and human rights, and environmental and climate leaders, Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., Mustafa Santiago Ali, and Grammy-Nominated Singer & Actress, Antonique Smith. Guests include leaders from communities on the front-lines of climate change, elected officials who are boldly leading, and cultural creators and artists who are reaching hearts and minds.
On Episode 20, our hosts Antonique Smith, Rev Yearwood, and Mustafa Santiago Ali sit down with leaders working to take our communities from surviving to thriving. Each brings a unique perspective; one as a commissioner on the largest public utility in the country, and one as a longtime community organizer.
Aura Vasquez is an incredible leader, advocate, and activist for environmental and social justice issues. A native of Colombia, she brings her experiences as a Latina immigrant, a woman of color, and successful environmental leader to many issues concerning frontline communities. In May 2017, She was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to the Board of Commissioners for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for a five year appointment. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving over four million residents.
Nakisa Gloverhas built a track record as a community organizer from years of corporate, community and service-based work, including building a fusion movement for climate justice as the National Field Coordinator for the Justice Action Mobilization Network (JAMN). She continues to build a network to develop solutions to climate, social and economic justice by fostering relationships with small businesses, faith-based organizations, non-profits, elected officials, colleges and high schools. She recently founded SOL Nation, a local non-profit in North Carolina providing direct pathways to a just transition, resiliency, and revitalization as we move to a Green Economy. Find out more about SOL Nation here.
Think 100% challenges environmental injustices and shares just solutions to climate change, including a transition to 100% clean energy for all. The show is hosted by national civil and human rights, and environmental and climate leaders, Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., Mustafa Santiago Ali, and Grammy-Nominated Singer & Actress, Antonique Smith. Guests include leaders from communities on the front-lines of climate change, elected officials who are boldly leading, and cultural creators and artists who are reaching hearts and minds.
This article is courtesy of ABC News and originally posted on July 28, 2018 (you can find it here).
Why top protest songs in hip-hop don’t mention Donald Trump: ‘He’s irrelevant to the movement’
By DEENA ZARU
Upon jumping into the political fray, Donald Trump — the business mogul-turned president — who was hailed for his wealth and power in lyrics for decades, quickly became hip-hop’s public enemy, number one.
In 2016, anti-Trump chants became rallying calls at concerts and the then-provocative presidential candidate appeared to be on virtually everyone’s lips and in everyone’s Twitter feed. But as Trump’s presidency races into its second year, a notable transformation in hip-hop activism is taking shape.
While Trump still dominates the headlines and drives a congested news cycle, in many of the top protest songs of 2017 and 2018 — some of which have topped the charts, there is virtually no mention of Trump. And that’s because, for a number of activists and artists — including Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and T.I. who once celebrated Trump’s wealth and power in past lyrics — there is so much more to discuss.
“People are finally getting it — that [Trump’s] irrelevant to the movement.”
Political dissent, which is often energized and, in some cases, driven by the anti-Trump movement, has become so powerful and so all-encompassing that it has transcended Trump, and music released since he became president reflects an evolution in the conversation, according to hip hop industry artists and activists interviewed by ABC News.
Courtesy of Maimouna Youssef
Even political songs that do name drop the president are a far cry from YG’s viral 2016 anti-Trump anthem, “FDT” or “F— Donald Trump” or even Eminem’s “The Storm.”
Tracks like “Land of the Free,” by Joey Bada$$, Logic’s “America,” and Kendrick Lamar’s “XXX.,” featuring U2, mention Trump in passing, but each work explores broader systemic injustices.
Even Kanye West, who was under severe backlash from fans for declaring his support for Trump earlier this year, moved the conversation forward by releasing a back-and-forth track based on an actual political conversation he had with Atlanta rapper T.I., who is one of the most outspoken Trump critics in hip-hop.
In “Ye vs. the People,” featuring T.I. as “the people,” the two artists engage in a political debate, address free speech, divisions and racism in America.
And according to Rev. Lennox Yearwood, the president of the nonprofit group, The Hip Hop Caucus, the revitalization of social activism in hip-hop and the evolution of the political conversation shows that “through tragedy is coming triumph.”
“Artists and activists feel like we can’t wait for Trump,” Yearwood said. “We have to get out there now and fight.”
Maimouna Youssef, a Grammy-nominated artist known as Mumu Fresh, said that although activists and artists recognize that “it’s still serious that Trump has the power” to influence policy and politics, “people are finally getting it — that he’s irrelevant to the movement.”
“It’s not going to happen because of him, but in spite of him,” Youssef told ABC News. “We kind of all got tired of the reality show. You see all of the stories and ridiculousness and the tweets…and you turn it off and you go do something more productive with your time.”
“When the movement is strong, the music is strong”
But each is an anthem steeped in political and social commentary on race and racism in America.
“Clearly the old saying is true: ‘When the movement is strong, the music is strong,’ and when the movement is weak, the music is weak,” Yearwood said.
“(Now), when artists do put out political music, it shoots to the top. People need it for their spirits, they need it for their souls, they need it to keep fighting.”
The video for “This is America,” — a provocative commentary about the black experience and the degradation of black bodies and black culture over centuries — is so steeped in historical and modern-day symbols that cultural critics are still unpacking its meaning months after its May release.
Describing it as “a song that speaks to your existence,” Yearwood said that “This is America” is reminiscent of “We Shall Overcome” — the gospel song that became the anthem for the 1960s civil rights movement.
The song was so well-received in the mainstream that it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — a spot that is rarely held by such explicitly political songs.
Courtesy of the Hip Hop Caucus
Childish Gambino, whose full name is Donald Glover, won a Grammy earlier this year for the Billboard-charting “Redbone,” a funk-inspired song about a failed a relationship with political undertones. The song is also known as “stay woke” based on words from its chorus, and was featured on the soundtrack for Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” which won an Oscar for best original screenplay.
“Whenever socially conscious music is successful in the mainstream, it’s a great thing because we don’t get enough of it,” Massachusetts rapper Termanology, whose upcoming album also explores political themes, told ABC News.
“And if it happens naturally, if it’s just meant to be like that, it’s definitely beautiful for us that really care.”
“This is not my America”
From the Black Lives Matter movement, to the Women’s March, the #MeToo movement, the Peoples Climate Movement and the March for Our Lives — a wave of civil disobedience has descended on cities and small towns in America and this energy is reflected in the music.
Janelle Monáe’s 2018 album, “Dirty Computer,” a layered project that explores what it means to be an American, offers a critique of a sick America plagued with inequalities and is also an ode to female empowerment. The outro to “Americans,” reflects these themes:
“Until women can get equal pay for equal work … Until same gender loving people can be who they are … Until black people can come home from a police stop without being shot in the head … Until poor whites can get a shot at being successful … Until Latinos and Latinas don’t have to run from walls, this is not my America.”
And Eminem, who unleashed one of the fiercest attacks against Trump in his viral performance of “The Storm” last fall, followed up with the release of “Revival” — an entire album that largely looks past Trump and reflects on racism and inequalities in America.
Courtesy of Termanology
“It’s a revival for myself, and it’s kind of the theme of the album, but there’s also, hopefully, the revival of America,” the Detroit rapper said.
In songs like “Untouchable,” which does not mention Trump, Eminem reflects on the progression of the civil rights movement and zeroes in on issues like police brutality and white privilege.
Jay-Z, who on several occasions in years past lauded Trump’s lavish lifestyle and wealth, has since criticized the former business mogul-turned-president’s comments.
But Trump barely ranks a name drop in Jay-Z’s most recent tracks.
Instead, the veteran rapper who has increasingly become a vocal proponent for criminal justice reform, reflects on the black experience in America in his Grammy-nominated album, “4:44.” For instance, the song “The Story of O.J.” explores the subjugation of African-Americans in media and culture over history and examines black stereotypes through the use of black and white cartoons.
This year, Kendrick Lamar’s politically-charged album, “DAMN,” won a Grammy for best rap album and North Carolina rapper Rapsody, who explores black womanhood and identity, in the soulful album “Laila’s Wisdom,” was nominated for best rap album and best rap song.
And then there’s the evolution of Meek Mill, who in the last few months has become one of the most visible advocates for criminal justice reform.
The Philadelphia rapper’s case sparked outrage and reinvigorated a national debate on mass incarceration, when Mill was sentenced to two to four years in prison last November after a pair of arrests that violated his probation from a 2008 gun and drug case.
In the wake of a relentless #FreeMeekMill campaign, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered Mill’s release in April.
“I told myself, I told God the moment that I got out of my situation and got back, feet on the ground, I would participate in being a voice for the voiceless,” he said in May.
And his latest releases like “Stay Woke,” featuring Miguel and “Milidelphia,” from his “Legends of the Summer” EP, reflect this calling.
And finally, in one of the starkest artistic evolutions of late, the Black Eyed Peas — who are generally known for upbeat and poppy party jams like “I Gotta Feeling” and “My Humps” — made a comeback in 2018 striking a dramatically different tone.
In “Ring the Alarm pt.1, pt.2, pt.3,” the trio tackles police brutality, while “Get It” is a haunting tribute to unarmed black men and women shot by police. And their third track, “Street Livin’,” is a harrowing account of poverty and mass incarceration punctuated by drum beats and somber tones.
“Ten years ago that was not the landscape,” Youssef said. It was almost like taboo to talk about the social issues. Today it’s in your face, you can’t run away from it. You can’t pretend that racism doesn’t exist.”
Even those who don’t seek out political music, would have found it difficult to avoid social commentary over the last few years because it has seeped into everything from club bangers like YG’s “Big Bank,” viral hits like Kodak Black’s “Tunnel Vision,”and R&B jams like Miguel’s Billboard-charting hit, “Come Through and Chill,”featuring J. Cole.
“Hopefully the younger generation sees that it is cool to spread jewels and spread knowledge and to talk about things that go on in the world,” Termanology said.
“It’s not just about drugs and superficial things … and as long as it’s from the heart, I’m all for it.”
ICYMI Last Week: Three-time Grammy-nominee, singer, songwriter, and humanitarian, Raheem DeVaughn, joined us in the studio to discuss how we can harness the power of culture to improve our communities and protect our planet.
Think 100% challenges environmental injustices and shares just solutions to climate change, including a transition to 100% clean energy for all. The show is hosted by national civil and human rights, and environmental and climate leaders, Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., Mustafa Santiago Ali, and Grammy-Nominated Singer & Actress, Antonique Smith. Guests include leaders from communities on the front-lines of climate change, elected officials who are boldly leading, and cultural creators and artists who are reaching hear ts and minds.
On Episode 19, our hosts Antonique Smith, Rev Yearwood, and Mustafa Santiago Ali sit down with Kim Reed, Director and Producer of Dark Money, a new documentary about the influx of anonymous money in U.S. elections. The film examines just how complex, far-reaching, and devastating the consequences are from the Citizens United Supreme Court decision handed down in 2010. Check out the trailer and more about the film at DarkMoneyFilm.com.
Think 100% challenges environmental injustices and shares just solutions to climate change, including a transition to 100% clean energy for all. The show is hosted by national civil and human rights, and environmental and climate leaders, Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., Mustafa Santiago Ali, and Grammy-Nominated Singer & Actress, Antonique Smith. Guests include leaders from communities on the front-lines of climate change, elected officials who are boldly leading, and cultural creators and artists who are reaching hear ts and minds.
On Episode 18, we have three-time Grammy-nominee, singer, songwriter, and humanitarian, Raheem DeVaughn joining us to discuss the power of culture to improve our communities and planet. He’s been a long-time climate justice advocate and has done some great work over the years, including joining Hip Hop Caucus’ Climate Campus Tour and recording an amazing track for the People’s Climate Music Heal Our Mother Earth (H.O.M.E.) album.
ICYMI: last week we had three amazing young leaders from Zero Hour on the show to talk about the Youth Climate March that took place this past Saturday in cities around the world. Our Think 100% team was on the ground at the event on the National Mall in D.C. and truly moved by the energy and focus of the thousands of young people stepping up for just solutions to climate change. This weekend was more than a moment; it was the beginning of a movement. We can’t wait to see what’s next from our friends and urge everyone to check out some of their powerful words on the show last week (1. bearing the burden, 2. paradigm shifting, 3. we can’t live in the moment if we’re worried about life and death).
Think 100% challenges environmental injustices and shares just solutions to climate change, including a transition to 100% clean energy for all. The show is hosted by national civil and human rights, and environmental and climate leaders, Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali, and Grammy-Nominated Singer & Actress, Antonique Smith. Guests include leaders from communities on the front-lines of climate change, elected officials who are boldly leading, and cultural creators and artists who are reaching hearts and minds.
This week, we’ll be joined by three of the founding members of Zero Hour, a powerful youth-led climate organization. They, like us, are fed up with the inaction by so many of the leaders in our country, including our current President. They know how critical it is to act now on the most pressing issue of our time, and they want to do it right. #ThisIsZeroHour
Rev. Yearwood and Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali will be sitting down with Zero Hour founder and president Jamie Margolin, founding member and art director Nadia Nazar, and founding member and director of fundraising Madelaine Tew, to discuss their role in the movement, the means by which they want to make change, and how EVERYONE can engage this week.
Jamie Margolin is the founder and president of Zero Hour, as well as a Climate Justice Ambassador with Plant for the Planet and the founder of an environmental lobbying group in Washington. Her involvement with environmental activism has been dedicated and headline-worthy, including her ongoing lawsuit with the Washington government over climate change. At sixteen years old, she has accomplished a great deal and continues to push to make her and other young activists’ voices heard.
Nadia Nazar is a founding member and Art Director & Co-Partnerships Lead for Zero Hour. She is conscious of the fact that climate change is killing the environment and the souls that it consists of and is doing everything in her power to combat this from happening. As a sixteen-year-old, Nadia is taking the step herself to ensure a better future instead of waiting for policy makers to take action.
Madelaine Tew is a founding member and Director of Fundraising of Zero Hour. She is a strong proponent of youth leadership, and believes passionately in action quickly to combat climate change. At Zero Hour, she works towards ensuring concrete change and wide involvement in the climate movement.
