Author: hiphopcaucus

Hip Hop Caucus joins with activists, organizers, faith leaders and the Atlanta community who are calling for a stop to Cop City, defending the Weelaunee Forest in Atlanta, Georgia, and honoring the life of environmental activist Tortuguita who was killed by Atlanta police in January.

Police violence and environmental activism are intimately connected not only through the power dynamics of economics, but also in the way they disproportionately threaten the ability for Black and Brown people to breathe and thrive. Replacing the nation’s largest urban forest with the largest militarized police training facility in North America would set a precedent for other proposed facilities across the country and fuel U.S. imperialism.

The Coolest Show Host Rev Yearwood discusses what’s next for the movement with Community Movement Builders Founder Kamau Franklin, National Community Organizer YoNasDa Lonewolf, and Organizer, Artist, Abolitionist and Poet Destiny Harris.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

There’s a generation of organizers and activists that are burning out before they reach or cement themselves in adulthood. While this isn’t a new phenomenon because young people have been the foundation of many movements, the scale of young people engaged in the climate movement and the wide impact of the climate crisis should prompt us to be intentional with their care and repair.

On this episode of The Coolest Show Destiny Hodges speaks to climate activist Vic Barrett and Mitchelle Mhaka, coordinator for the African Climate Alliance, about performative activism, tokenization, rest and recovery.

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The fossil fuel industry isn’t the only threat to our movement. It’s also how we treat each other. “Paradoxical osmosis” has us embracing the tactics of the oppression we swore we would usurp together. Lateral violence and burnout has people leaving the movement “cynical, bitter, jaded, and broken. And if that cycle continues, then this climate crisis will continue.” Tara Houska and Anthony Rogers-Wright join Rev Yearwood to reflect on their movement experience, the nonprofit industrial complex, and the need to build infrastructure for humanity.

Climate Critical Burnout Report: www.climatecritical.earth/report

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As Earth month ends and May ushers in mental health awareness, Climate Critical is calling to question the way the climate/environmental movement has been doing the work and how it hurts us. After surveying people from 106 different types of environmental organizations, researchers concluded everyone is burnt out. 

“The movement takes on the attributes of the place where it was built, and America itself organizes everything about how it works to extract from Black and brown people, from women…” said Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, founder of Climate Critical and a producer of The Coolest Show. Care and repair is an ethos that ensures we take care of the inputs and people, that we hold space for humanity and rest as an active part of how we do our work. Tamara joins Rev Yearwood to discuss the dangers of burnout, pathological integrity, and the risk Black women are taking to ensure we are healthy and able to win. 

Climate Critical’s full Climate Burnout Report releases on April 28th. Find out more and support at www.climatecritical.earth.

Supplemental Readings

https://atmos.earth/tamara-toles-o-laughlin-climate-activism-burnout/

https://www.thecut.com/article/climate-change-burnout-black-women.html

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We have invited Dr. Michael K. Dorsey, a recognized expert on global energy, environment, finance and sustainability matters, and who sits on the board of B.O.S.S (Black Owners of Solar Services) back to talk with us to dig a little deeper into the ongoing story of financial reckoning that is necessary to fight in this phase of the Climate Crisis.

On the heels of conversations about climate finance campaigning, climate finance regulation, the implementation and deployment of inflation reduction act funds for infrastructure, energy and environmental defense, we believe it is important to talk about …what it’s all for.

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Kymone Freeman is an activist, co-founder of We Act Radio, and author of Nineveh: A Conflict Over Water. Rev Yearwood and Kymone discuss the intersections between movement and the process of writing, the power of art and activism and protecting the water on the continent.

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Season 5 of The Coolest Show begins with a conversation with our Host Rev. Yearwood and our producers Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, Destiny Hodges, and DeJuan Cross.

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The closure of Silicon Valley Bank on March 10 due to a bank run is not a signal of pending economic collapse or another financial crisis. The bank’s unique mix of tech start-up customers and venture-backed businesses led to a portfolio and circumstances that are exceptional for most banking institutions. This collapse was a failure of a system that continues to put the interests of Wall Street ahead of everyday people. While our communities carry concerns about health care, affordable housing, and safety in their neighborhoods, the last thing people need to worry about is their savings. As the Biden Administration has made clear, taxpayers are not responsible for paying for the bank’s mistakes and those responsible will be held accountable.

Marilyn Waite, director of the Climate Finance Fund, Kristal Hansley, founder & CEO of WeSolar, and Stephone Coward, economic justice, Justice Paid in Full campaigns director at the Hip Hop Caucus join us to discuss a vision for success for our communities and future generations.

This special episode is hosted by Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, a producer for The Coolest Show.

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