About Us

Our mission is to use the power of our cultural expression to empower communities who are first and worst impacted by injustice.

Our vision is racial justice, healthy communities, and a healthy planet.

Throughout our history, Hip Hop Caucus has mobilized hundreds of thousands of young BIPOC voters across seven election cycles, produced HOME (Heal Our Mother Earth) – the first climate album to move over 60,000 people to action in support of the Clean Power Plan in 2014, and led the first protest in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and continually partnered with local organizations for annual commemorations.

In 2021, our community took over 2.1 million actions on climate justice with Think 100% including petition signatures, EPA comments, event participation, social media post engagement, and more. We played an influential role as a national partner to the local Memphis community in the cancellation of the Byhalia Pipeline. We also raised and distributed $100,000 in direct relief to families affected by Hurricane Ida across 12 parishes in Louisiana.

Our Respect My Vote! Campaign developed a free resource for people with a felony record and their loved ones to check their eligibility to vote based on state legislation; since its launch, the tool has been used over 100,000 times. In 2022, we completed two successful voter registration and mobilization tours, mobilized 375,000 Black voters to the polls, and contacted 750,000 people ahead of the midterm elections. 

Our breadth of accomplishments reflect our principled approach to organizing, advocacy, and campaigning. Hip Hop Caucus pioneers culture and narrative to expand our impact, shows up with direct relief and continued solidarity with communities being harmed by systemic injustices, and builds non-partisan democracy by engaging voters year round.

As an institution built by, and for people and communities of color, we are rooted firmly in the belief that racial justice and climate justice are interwoven. Join our movement today.

Our Focus Areas

Strengthening Democracy

We register, educate, and mobilize voters through our non-partisan “Respect My Vote!” campaign. We fight against attacks on voting rights and advocate for election system reforms that make voting easier. We empower returning citizens who can vote and advocate for full enfranchisement in all 50 states. Visit RespectMyVote.com.

Climate Change and Environmental Justice

We advocate for climate action that will stop and reverse the impacts of the climate crisis that are happening now from the perspective of BIPOC communities for which pollution and climate impacts are life and death issues. Think 100% is our climate justice communications and activism platform. Visit Think100Climate.com.

Civil and Human Rights

From police violence and criminal justice reform, to quality public education, healthcare, immigration, Indigenous rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and racial justice, we lead and act as allies on the most critical civil and human rights issues of today.

Economic Justice

We advocate for an economy that works for everyone. We promote divest-invest strategies pulling money out from industries that harm our communities and investing in economically, socially, and environmentally empowering solutions. We stand with activists demanding good jobs, access to capital for communities locked out of industries, and fair housing.

What We Do

Cultural Organizing

We organize 14 – 40 year-olds, who identify with Hip Hop Culture, and share values of justice and equity. We connect the Hip Hop community to the political process to build power and create change.

Cultivate Leaders

We create platforms for cultural and grassroots leaders to use their voices, creative talents, and networks to educate, energize and mobilize people and communities.

Engage Large Audiences

Through partnerships with artists, creatives, celebrities, and media we create content and share it through cultural channels reaching millions of people and inspiring action. It’s not only large audiences that we engage, we are intentional about engaging our communities on the frontlines of injustice. 

Foster and Promote Thought Leadership

We source solutions for local to global challenges from our communities, and advocate for them to decision makers and influencers. We partner with a broad range of organizations, and we have a respected presence in the halls of the U.S. Congress, Federal Agencies, State Legislatures, and the United Nations.

Who We Are

We are a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on communities across the United States and are connected to global advocacy networks. We have members across the country and globe. We are multiracial and we center our work in communities of color. We span Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X, and we come from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Our grassroots infrastructure is driven by Hip Hop Caucus Leadership Committees. Our Leadership Committees set local agendas and shape local strategies to engage people in their cities through culture. 

We are led by a dedicated national team working around the country.

Our Beginning

The Hip Hop Caucus movement emerged from four organizations in 2004: Hip Hop Summit Action Network; Sean Diddy Comb’s Citizen Change (“Vote Or Die!”); Jay Z’s “Voice Your Choice”; and, AFL-CIO’s “Hip Hop Voices.” Knowing those voter engagement efforts would end after Election Day in 2004, the first Hip Hop Caucus event was held at Howard University on September 11, 2004 with 700 students. From there, our goal was to create a sustainable institution that would connect the Hip Hop community, from the grassroots to celebrities, to the political process. And, we have been fulfilling that vision ever since.