Month: October 2023

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Since our last episode on Stop Cop City, signatures of more than 116,000 Atlanta residents were gathered and submitted to the City of Atlanta in support of adding a referendum on the ballot. Atlanta officials have contested the submissions and used tactics such as doxxing signatories and enforcing RICO charges on local organizers and protesters. The case remains in limbo as we await the 11th U.S. Circuit Court’s decision on whether or not a deadline extension for signatures was lawful.

In this episode of The Coolest Show, Hip Hop Caucus hosted a Stop Cop City press conference during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 52nd Annual Legislative Conference. Actors Amanda Seales and Kendrick Sampson, and activists Cliff Albright and Linda Sarsour used their platform to stand in solidarity with Atlanta residents.

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2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower, a novel that prophesied the US’ rise in fascism and the global impact of the climate crisis. While Butler was unable to finish the trilogy in her lifetime and experienced frustrations encompassing climate solutions in her writing, people who continue to be inspired by her life and writings are building solutions Butler may have hoped for. The Black Hive @ M4BL recently launched Parable of the Movement, a narrative project and campaign that aims to: continue the work of Octavia Butler; lift up Black led EJ and climate solutions to the climate crisis; and build a space for deep learning, experimentation and alternatives.

On this episode of The Coolest Show, be a fly on the wall at Parable of the Movement’s launch event during New York’s Climate Week. Speakers include Natalie Jeffers, lead of The Black Hive, Johari Farrar, and Black climate authors Aya De Leon, Emily Raboteau, and Kevin Aipopo.

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The influence of Hollywood’s media and entertainment is undeniable. The narratives we consume impact our daily decisions and even affect changes in legislation. There are many parallels between activists and artists/entertainers, as well as the industries they are working within or fighting to end. “Profits over people is the core foundation of the issue. Because if some folks weren’t so concerned, so concerned with so much profit, then they would change their business model to be something that isn’t going to kill people,” said former TCS co-host Antonique Smith.

On this episode of The Coolest Show, Antonique shares her experience and interviews live from the March to End Fossil Fuels in New York City. Her and Rev Yearwood speak about being an artivist in today’s movement, the SAG-AFTRA strike and the future of climate storytelling.

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