While we are being killed by police and vigilante violence, we are also dying a death of a thousand cuts by pollution in our lungs. Corporations poison our air and water, violate our rules and laws hundreds of times over. But we are up against a three strikes and you’re out justice system. One out of every three Black boys born today can expect to go to prison in their lifetime, but polluters never end up behind bars. These are the realities of injustice in our country that Jacqui Patterson, Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program, has been working to change for decades as a researcher, advocate, and activist. More at TheCoolestShow.com and @Think100Climate. #BlackLivesMatter #Think100
A comedy special and documentary show relevance of climate crisis for communities of color, inspiring media makers and creatives of color to tell more climate stories
PARK CITY, UTAH – Hip Hop Caucus Think 100% FILMS is providing the first look of its innovative and powerful climate-comedy film Ain’t Your Mama’s Heat Wave at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The preview is taking place during an event Hip Hop Caucus is co-hosting at the MACRO Lodge, a hub for creatives of color at the festival. The film and event seek to connect the climate crisis to young and diverse audiences by increasing the number of culturally relevant climate stories being told and created by people of color.
Ain’t Your Mama’s Heat Wave is a gripping right now story of communities that are grappling with the climate crisis and the present day consequences of historic injustices and inequality. The film is centered on four young black stand up comedians, hailing from Norfolk, Atlanta, Chicago, and Ohio, and tells the story of their journey to the Hampton Roads region of Virginia to “make the climate crisis funny”. Things are not so funny when it’s clear the threats are so real and can mean life or death. But, in the African American tradition of struggle, resilience, and triumph in the face of existential threat, the joy of comedy, music, art, and dance informs and empowers. Full of relatable stories, grit, and beauty, the film shows that the climate crisis is much more than a crisis; it’s an opportunity for us to right wrongs and make life on this planet better for everyone.
“At a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher for our communities and planet, we are turning to storytellers to inspire people to act,” said Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President & CEO of Hip Hop Caucus. “We need as many creatives and media makers in the climate movement as there are scientists, policy experts, and organizers. And this is especially important for people of color who are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis and are too often left out of the narrative on climate. Our powerful stories need to be told and the talent of creatives of color needs to be supported if we are going to solve the climate crisis. We thank MACRO Studios for hosting Ain’t Your Mama’s Heat Wave and Hip Hop Caucus at Sundance.”
The extended preview of the film is being shown at MACROLodge as part of “The New Climate Narrative: A forum for creatives who are solving the climate crisis”, an event co-hosted by Hip Hop Caucus, The Solutions Project, The Climate Mobilization, and NAACP. The event includes an intimate conversation about the solutions for the climate crisis from those disproportionately on the frontlines – communities of color and indigenous communities — with a lineup of speakers and panelists that includes Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. (Hip Hop Caucus), Jacqueline Patterson (Climate and Environmental Director, NAACP), Favianna Rodriguez (Culture Strike), Thomas Lopez (The International Indigenous Youth Council and Future Coalition), Margaret Klein Salamon (The Climate Mobilization), and Kat Steyer (Business and Philanthropic Leader).
If you are a member of the media and would like a first look at the Ain’t Your Mama’s Heat Wave trailer, sign up here.
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About Hip Hop Caucus: Established in 2004, Hip Hop Caucus 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 and partnership network, Hip Hop Caucus addresses core issues impacting young people, underserved, and vulnerable communities. Hip Hop Caucus programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders. Learn more at HipHopCaucus.org and follow @hiphopcaucus on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. For more about Hip Hop Caucus’ climate communications platform, visit Think100.info.
“AIN’T YOUR MAMA’S HEAT WAVE!” is a variety comedy show that will have you laughing, singing, and empowered to solve the climate crisis.
Performers and comics are coming from across the country — including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Atlanta — for this special night at the historic Attucks Theater in Norfolk, Virginia.
The first of its kind commentary on the climate crisis, the 2020 elections, intersectionality, and power building, that is young, black, and entertaining. Check out who we are bringing to Norfolk, VA
“AIN’T YOUR MAMA’S HEAT WAVE” performances from
Antonique Smith – Grammy-Nominated Singer, as seen in Marvel’s Luke Cage on Netflix, and as Faith Evans in the film Notorious, co-host of Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100% – “The Coolest Show on Climate Change”
Aminah Imani – Howard University Homecoming Show, Skankfest, Carolines March Madness Competition
Clark Jones – Named one of the 11 funniest comedians by BET. First of All Album (iTunes, Google Play, Spotify), HBO’s Crashing, Night Train with Wyatt Cenac
Kristen Sivills – Comedian and radio personality, StandUp NBC, Wendy Williams Comedy Tour, hailing from Virginia Beach!
Rev Yearwood – President & CEO of Hip Hop Caucus, as seen on The Breakfast Club, co-host of Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100% – “the Coolest Show on Climate Change”
Plus Special Guests!
RSVP at NorfolkWave.Eventbrite.com and help spread the word by sending the RSVP link (NorfolkWave.eventbrite.com) and flyer below to your friends, family, and network. This event is free and requires an RSVP due to limited capacity. Also be sure to dress to impress for on-camera and the red-carpet!
Follow @Think100Show and @HipHopCaucus on social media, where we’ll be sharing content leading up, during, and after the show (IG / TW / FB).
On September 20, just three days before the United Nations’ Climate Summit, millions of students — and adults — around the world will take to the streets, skipping school and work, to demand that our leaders take immediate action to address the climate crisis.
Inspired by Greta Thunberg, young people are organizing this mass mobilization are calling on everyone to join them. There are over 500 actions planned across the United States and thousands more throughout the world. Read the demands, find a strike near you, and more at StrikeWithUs.org.
We need YOU to join us! Check out how you and your organization or business can participate in the Climate Strike:
The Amazon Rainforest is on fire. The Arctic ice-caps are melting at an alarming rate. The world just experienced the hottest month ever. More intense storms like Hurricane Dorian, Maria, and Katrina are happening every year. Floods, wildfires, and droughts are devastating communities and ecosystems around the world, causing mass migration, rapid species extinction, more conflict, and the spread of infectious diseases. And it’s communities of color and poor people that are hit first and worst.
While we have just 10.5 years to prevent irreversible climate catastrophe, we have only 18 months to create the political pressure necessary so that our leaders will be forced to act right away. In other words, there is hope that if we push world leaders to take necessary action NOW, we can avert the worse. Join us!
SEASON 2: YOUNG PEOPLE WILL WIN!
Think 100% – The Coolest Show on Climate Change is back with an all new season. After taking the show on the road earlier this year, where we interviewed all sorts of movers and shakers in the climate movement and beyond, season two of Hip Hop Caucus’ award-winning podcast is back featuring new episodes, new guests, new venues, and a new look.
Our theme for season two is “Young People Will Win“. Throughout season two we’ll be sharing captivating and informative conversations with young people pushing climate change to the forefront of the political agenda, and invigorating and expanding the climate movement.
In our first episode of season two, co-hosts Antonique Smith and Rev Yearwood are joined live on-stage at the 2019 Netroots Nation conference by Vic Barrett for an intersectional conversation on climate activism, multifaceted identity, and youth driven urgency. Vic along with 21 other courageous young people are suing the U.S. government for its inaction on climate change. Check it out and more at Think100.info and follow @Think100Show to find out more.
Young people have brought climate change to the forefront of the political agenda and taken charge in the climate movement. In Episode 44, Think 100% Show co-hosts Antonique Smith and Rev Yearwood are joined live on-stage at the 2019 Netroots Nation conference by Vic Barrett for an intersectional conversation on climate activism, multifaceted identity, and youth driven urgency.
Vic along with 21 other courageous young people are suing the U.S. government for its inaction on climate change.
Follow Vic (TW: @vict_barrett) to keep up and Our Children’s Trust (TW: @youthvgov) for the latest on the Juliana v US case and how you can support young people. #AllEyesOnJuliana?
We’re back! After taking the show on the road this year, where we interviewed all sorts of movers and shakers in the climate movement and beyond, season two of Hip Hop Caucus’ award-winning podcast Think 100% – The Coolest Show on Climate Change is here.
Featuring new episodes, new guests, new venues, and a new look, our theme for season two is “Young People Will Win“. Throughout season two we’ll be sharing captivating and informative conversations with young people pushing climate change to the forefront of the political agenda, and invigorating and expanding the climate movement.
Today on August 29, as we recognize the 14th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we are reminded of the importance of bringing the voices of those at the frontlines of climate change to the forefront and our ongoing collective fight for stronger communities and a sustainable planet. Our world is full of beautiful people, cultures, and places, and Think 100% is about how we protect and make the world more beautiful by solving the climate crisis AND creating justice with all the opportunities that exist in a transition to a 100% clean energy world.
In over 40 compelling episodes in season one, we shared breaking news, captivating stories, and dispelled false narratives that communities of color are not engaged in the climate and environmental movement. Catch up on all episodes and stay tuned for more, as we take this journey together.
Follow @Think100Show for the latest and subscribe to the podcast and more at Think100.info. #Think100 // #YoungPeopleWillWin
Paris to Pittsburgh and also Paris to… Orlando, Miami, Detroit, New Orleans, Virginia Beach, Charlotte, and Boston. This is a story of movement building for climate solutions.
During our break between Seasons 1 and 2 of Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100%: Coolest Show on Climate Change we brought the documentary Paris to Pittsburgh to cities around the country for Earth Month 2019. Hip Hop Caucus’ city-based Leadership Committees hosted film screenings throughout April to inspire grassroots action in our communities that are impacted first and worst by the climate crisis. Check out some highlights from some of the screenings and what’s next!
What are you doing for Earth Month? Join us for FREE screenings of #ParisToPittsburgh, a film celebrating how people are taking action to build stronger communities in the face of #ClimateChange.
Paris to Pittsburgh is a new film from National Geographic, produced by RadicalMedia in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The film depicts the devastating impacts of climate change happening to our communities right now, including stronger storms, rising seas, and longer drought and wildfire seasons.
As the stories of impacts unfold, the film shifts towards lighting a path towards a better future by focusing on real solutions that people at the frontlines of the climate crisis are already implementing in their communities and cities.
What does from Paris to Pittsburgh mean? Check out the film’s trailer below and on this Think 100% page with the details for the screenings.
Set against the national debate over the United States’ energy future – and the explosive decision to exit the Paris Climate Agreement – ‘Paris to Pittsburgh’ captures what’s at stake for communities around the country and the inspiring ways Americans are responding.
Brandi Williams, Chris Castro, Michelle Suarez, and Robin Harris discuss climate impacts in Florida and building equitable solutions.
On April 4th, the anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, we screened the film and held a discussion at the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) in Orlando, Florida. In front of a packed audience of African American public administrators from around the country, Hip Hop Caucus Charlotte’s Coordinator and NFBPA member, Brandi Williams, hosted a post-film discussion about Orlando’s climate solutions efforts with Michelle Suarez, Regional Director of Organize Florida, Robin Harris, a local advocate, and Chris Castro, the Director of Sustainability & Resilience for the City of Orlando, who is featured in the film.
Brandi Williams, Hip Hop Caucus Charlotte, NC Coordinator, and Chris Castro, Director of Sustainability, City of Orlando.
They talked about what steps Orlando is taking to address climate impacts and ensuring the public is at the forefront of policy solutions, including food access and innovative renewable energy deployment, to how grassroots activism is helping drive equitable solutions, including workforce development and connecting environmental health to the broader social justice movement.
The audience of public administrators were energized and excited to take the ideas and information discussed back to the cities and states they represent across the country.
Their dynamic discussion will soon be available as a Think 100%: Coolest Show on Climate Change special podcast episode. Stay tuned!
Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100%: the Coolest Show on Climate Change partnered with “Paris to Pittsburgh” producers to screen the recently released National Geographic film at community events Hip Hop Caucus’ city based Leadership Committees organized throughout the country.
The free screenings brought together community leaders, advocates, cultural influencers, local …
At each of our screenings the leaders who came together to watch the film talked about what they can do to create more climate solutions in their communities and cities.
Our screening in Miami was for micro-influencers and leaders within the Caribbean American community in South Florida. Completely inspired by the film, they committed to have more conversations with their friends, family, and followers about the climate crisis and solutions.
Asa Sealy, Hip Hop Caucus Miami Coordinator and Founder of Miami Under 40, shared the video above from the influencer screening. Check it out.
Next up in Miami, Think 100%: the Coolest Show on Climate Change will be joining Zero Hour July 12 – 14 for the Youth Climate Summit. Join us!
Ronnie Webb, Hip Hop Caucus Washington D.C. City Coordinator, speaks about the film screening of “Paris to Pittsburgh” at Sousa Middle School during Earth Month 2019.
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More about the project: Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100%: the Coolest Show on Climate Change partnered with “Paris to Pittsburgh” producers to screen the recently released National Geographic film at …
Ronnie Webb, member of Hip Hop Caucus Washington, D.C. Leadership Committee and President and Founder of The Green Scheme, brought Paris to Pittsburgh to students at Sousa Middle School in Southeast D.C.
As he shares in the video above, for a lot of the students, the film was their first exposure to climate change as a global issue that they have a role in solving. And like young people do, they got it. They are ready to expand the work they have been doing in urban gardening, rain water management, and other local projects to be climate solutions advocates in our nation’s capital.
In Detroit, environmental justice activists came together for the screening. Following the film they had a powerful discussion, which, as in the trenches activists, we don’t always find the time to come together to do. They discussed big ideas on how to build collective action to address structural barriers that prevent community members from moving towards renewable energy and developing an equitable Water Affordability Plan for Detroit residents.
Their collective agreement coming out of their discussion is to be intentional about supporting one another’s work, across their various local organizations which have existing climate justice campaigns. They made a list of each other’s support needs for their existing events, put them all on a calendar, and made commitments to attend each.
Piper Carter on our Hip Hop Caucus Detroit Leadership Committee shared her thoughts on the convening in her Instagram post above.
Hip Hop Caucus Virginiahosted a gathering of local influencers, youth leaders, musicians, and young people to watch the film in Virginia Beach, which sits at a nexus of climate and environmental threats.
The young people at the screening who are justice advocates, and were getting introduced to some of the elements of our climate crisis at this event, responded to way Paris to Pittsburgh depicts the solutions and not just the problems.
In the post-film discussion, folks agreed that action on climate change starts with education on the issue. A leader from the local Boys & Girls Club in Virginia Beach was inspired to share the film with his program.
Check out this recap video from “Batman” on our Hip Hop Caucus Virginia Leadership Committee and CEO of Dark Knight Entertainment.
Attendees of the Earth Month event in Virginia Beach discuss what they thought about the film and how they can help move people in their region towards solutions to climate change and stronger communities.
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More about the project: Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100%: the Coolest Show on Climate Change partnered with “Paris to Pittsburgh” producers to screen the recently …
We hope you found some of these highlights from our cities inspiring! We also held screenings in Boston, Charlotte, and New Orleans all in April. Grassroots organizing and powerful films and media strengthen our movements by bringing people together and creating greater space collective action.
If you’d like to bring a screening of Paris to Pittsburgh to your city, to get started, complete the screening request form here. Contact screenings@paristopittsburgh.com for more information and visit the film’s website.
What’s Next?
We took Think 100%: the Coolest Show on Climate Change on the road for all these screenings during Earth Month, on our break between Seasons 1 and 2 of the show. And now we’re almost back! Season 2 of Think 100%: the Coolest Show on Climate Change is coming this July.
But before we come back with Season 2, we’re going to release some Special Episodes from being on the road these past months. These specials will include the episode from the Paris to Pittsburgh screening in Orlando, as well as episodes from the National Adaptation Forum’s convening in Madison, WI in April, and from Confluence Philanthropy’s Annual Conference in Brooklyn, NY in February.
Subscribe to the show from our homepage so you get all these Special Episodes and Season 2 as soon as they are released. Catch up on Season 1 if you haven’t yet. And the best ways to stay connected with us is following @Think100Show and @HipHopCaucus on all social media.
Special Thanks
A special thanks to our partners Bloomberg Philanthropies, RadicalMedia, and National Geographic, who produced Paris to Pittsburgh, and made this project possible by sharing it with us to screen in communities across the country.
Jay Inslee, who recently announced that he’s running for President, joins the Think 100% Show to discuss why addressing climate change with equity and justice should be the top priority of our elected leaders. He sits down to breakdown how he, as the governor of Washington state, has put communities of color at the forefront of climate solutions and the need for diversity in the environmental movement.
In part two of our special “State of the Climate Movement” series, our host is joined by a group of prominent activists and experts to continue the conversation on lack of diversity in mainstream environmental NGOs and Foundations. Guests give testimonials on what it’s like to be a person of color at an environmental organization and discuss solutions to strengthen our collective effort for thriving communities and a healthy planet. Special guests include Dr. Michael Dorsey, Dr. Adrienne Hollis, Rosemary Enobakhare, and Kristin Mink.
In part one of our special “State of the Climate Movement” series, our hosts are joined by Green 2.0’s Whitney Tome and Erika West to discuss their new eye-opening report that shows that the lack of racial and ethnic diversity at traditional environmental non-profit organizations and foundations is actually getting worse. Mainstream environmental organizations and foundations are in serious trouble and will only be successful if they address their lack of diversity and recognize the power of being able to reach outside of its traditional boundaries and make-up. Their decline in diversity is not good for our collective ability to win on climate change, but there are solutions. Find Green 2.0’s report at DiverseGreen.org.
