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Season Six

Community Over Cancer Alley w/ Dr. Earthea Nance

In this episode of the The Coolest Show, Rev Yearwood sits down with Dr. Earthea Nance, the Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator for Region 6. The conversation highlights the importance of intersectionality between climate and other social issues. Dr. Nance discusses the work the EPA is doing to protect Cancer Alley in Louisiana and the need for strategy in sacrifice zones.

Recorded at the historic Woodland Plantation, the site of the 1811 slave revolt, “Community Over Cancer Alley” highlights seven fearless, unapologetic Black women leading the fight for environmental justice in Louisiana’s Cancer Alley. This 85-mile stretch along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is lined with chemical facilities, posing severe health risks to local communities. Each episode uplifts the stories and advocacy of these women, highlighting their resilience and commitment to creating cleaner, healthier, more equitable communities of color.

The Coolest Show – brought to you by Hip Hop Caucus Think 100% PODCASTS – drops new episodes every Monday on environmental justice and how we solve the climate crisis. Listen and subscribe here or at TheCoolestShow.com! Follow @Think100Climate and @RevYearwood on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Season Five

Parable of the Movement w/ The Black Hive

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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Season Four

People, Planet, Politics: Inflation Reduction Act

On August 7, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act passed in the U.S. Senate and will make its way to the House of Representatives on Friday, August 12th. There is a lot of nuance around the bill, but to be clear, “the largest piece of climate legislation” does not go far enough to protect Black and Indigenous communities. That said, we understand the need for climate legislation, because if you don’t shape policy, policy will shape you. The Coolest Show Host Rev Yearwood and Producer Tamara Toles O’Laughlin discuss the bill and how we must continue fighting for environmental justice.

For more context on the Inflation Reduction Act, watch Rev Yearwood on PBS NewsHour.

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Season Three

Youth Vs Apocalypse w/ Isha Clarke & Aniya Butler

Institutionalized groups want young, Black, and Indigenous organizers to be inspirational and play a superficial role. But oftentimes, they don’t want to fund their work to effectively dismantle systems of oppression. It is easier to do the work that coddles one’s privilege because they don’t have to confront their privilege or the realities that communities first and foremost affected are experiencing. Rev Yearwood speaks with Isha Clarke, Co-founder of Youth Vs Apocalypse, and Aniya Butler, Hip Hop & Climate Justice coordinator. They share with us the struggle to gain funding and support for young people-led organizations; the importance of doing radical (root-addressing) work; and taking power out of systems of oppression and putting them into community-led solutions that center liberation.

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Season Two

Youth to Power w/ Jamie Margolin

Young climate activists carry the weight of the world on their shoulders in a world that is ever presenting new crises and challenges. How do they cope? How do they thrive? . Jamie Margolin is the co-founder of This Is Zero Hour and author of Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It. We caught up with her to discuss 21st century activism, colonialism and the climate crisis, intersectional environmentalism, and her new book. Listen now! More at TheCoolestShow.com and @Think100Climate. #IntersectionalEnvironmentalism #YouthActivism #ExtractiveSystems #Think100

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Season One

Let’s Make it Happen w/ Raheem DeVaughn

 Three-time Grammy-nominee, singer, songwriter, and humanitarian, Raheem DeVaughn joins 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. Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. hosts along with co-host, Mustafa Santiago Ali. Recorded live for radio, the episode opens with current events in the climate movement.