Author: Hip Hop Caucus

WASHINGTON – Today, Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement of its executive order to create an American Climate Corps:

“The Biden Administration’s new American Climate Corps program is an example of bold climate action that supports job creation and a clean energy future. Through this program, this administration has a critical opportunity to improve our lands and expand career possibilities for Black, Latinx and Indigenous people — communities that are both disproportionately impacted by our climate crisis and disproportionately economically disenfranchised.

Hip Hop Caucus will continue to make clear that racial justice is central to advancing economic and climate justice, and we plan to hold the Biden Administration accountable to its promise of a diverse and inclusive workforce in this program.“

About Hip Hop Caucus
Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

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WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus Executive Vice President of Campaigns and Advocacy Tanya Clay House issued the following statement in response to the reintroduction of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 

“The reintroduction of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA) is a positive step forward in the restoration and expansion of our Democracy. The JLVRAA reaffirms our commitment to voter equality and voter access to the ballot box. The JLVRAA seeks to ensure that jurisdictions with a recent history of voting rights violations are required to obtain preclearance for changes to voting practices and procedures. JLVRAA would most importantly restore section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and make sure states like Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and others are kept in line from enacting the worst voter suppression laws since Jim Crow.  

Today on National Voter Registration Day we celebrate the power of voting and recognize that the voice is fundamental to protecting our democracy and pursuing all of our issues. Since our founding Hip Hop Caucus has championed voting rights. Launched in 2008, our Respect My Vote! campaign is the longest-running hip hop voter engagement and mobilization campaign.

We congratulate and thank Congresswoman Sewell for her steadfast commitment to fighting for democracy and for continuing to champion the fight that John Lewis stood for across the bridge in Selma and throughout his life.”

About Hip Hop Caucus
Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

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New investigative podcast chronicles stories of people who have died in custody and emerging efforts for accountability

WASHINGTON – Today, Hip Hop Caucus announces the launch of the new, groundbreaking podcast series, ‘Official Ignorance: The Death in Custody Podcast.’ Hosted by expert forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr. and human rights scholar Dr. Jay Aronson, ‘Official Ignorance’ aims to shed light on individuals who have died in law enforcement custody and outlines a practical and achievable system for accurately recording and investigating these deaths. ‘Official Ignorance’ is a project of Hip Hop Caucus and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and several other digital streaming platforms. 

The U.S. government significantly undercounts the number of people who die in law enforcement custody each year. Racial discrimination and violence against Black, Brown and Indigenous people in the criminal legal system have been increasingly discussed in recent years; however, deaths in custody remain a lesser-explored aspect of these systemic issues. ‘Official Ignorance’ delves deep into the underlying causes, identifying and examining areas where transparency and reform are desperately needed.

“It’s about time! Being able to talk about this very important issue has been a dream of mine for my entire career,” said ‘Official Ignorance’ podcast co-host and Howard University Chair of Pathology Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr. “Hip Hop Caucus has been a phenomenal partner in allowing us to tell the story of death in custody in the United States. Jay and I are able to give a voice to the voiceless while sharing more about ourselves and how we got into this work. I hope that this is just the beginning and Season 2 will be even better.”

In each episode, Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Aronson engage in thought-provoking conversations with experts, researchers, activists, and individuals who have personally experienced the impact of deaths in custody. Through stories, data, expert analysis, and hip-hop themes, they seek to raise awareness, empower listeners, and drive forward efforts for reform.

“We want listeners to come away angry about the crisis of deaths in law enforcement custody, but also informed about what they can do to expose the problem, and hopeful that we can achieve a better, less violent, and less punitive world through our collective action and advocacy,” said ‘Official Ignorance’ podcast co-host and Carnegie Mellon University professor Dr. Jay Aronson. “Having the chance to talk to Roger regularly and reflect on the work we’ve been doing over the past several years was an incredible experience. I hope that listeners have the opportunity not just to learn from us, but also to appreciate our friendship, our mutual love for hip hop and the role that its played in our lives, and our shared desire to shine a light on the deadly toll that the criminal legal system takes on the American people, especially in Black communities and other marginalized or under-resourced communities.”

Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr. and Dr. Jay Aronson’s new book ‘Deaths in Custody,’ published by Johns Hopkins University Press, also releases today.

“We decided to create the podcast to give readers insight into what motivated us as people and as scholars to write the book, and to highlight the crucial role that hip hop has played in setting the stage for this project,” continued Dr. Jay Aronson.

Roger Mitchell Jr., MD, is a highly respected forensic pathologist, renowned for his expertise in examining the causes and circumstances of deaths. He is a professor and chair of pathology at the Howard University College of Medicine and has served as the Chief Medical Examiner and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice of Washington, D.C. He is the author of The Price of Freedom: A Son’s Journey.

Jay Aronson, PhD, is the founder and director of the Center for Human Rights Science at Carnegie Mellon University, where he is a professor of science, technology, and society in the Department of History. He specializes in human rights and criminal justice and is the author of Who Owns the Dead? The Science and Politics of Death at Ground Zero and Genetic Witness: Science, Law, and Controversy in the Making of DNA Profiling.

To subscribe to ‘Official Ignorance: The Death in Custody Podcast’ and for detailed episode information, visit www.officialignorance.com. 

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About Official Ignorance

‘Official Ignorance: The Death in Custody Podcast’ is a groundbreaking podcast hosted by renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr., MD, and human rights scholar Dr. Jay Aronson, PhD,. The podcast delves deep into the significant underreporting of deaths in custody, the overwhelming racial disparities, and the practical solutions for reporting and investigating these deaths. Join Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Aronson as they engage with experts, activists, and those directly impacted to explore how we can end deaths in custody. ‘Official Ignorance’ is a project of Hip Hop Caucus.

About Hip Hop Caucus

Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council’s decision to use signature matching to verify referendum signatures for Cop City is a Jim Crow style, segregationist voter suppression tactic that is overwhelmingly discriminatory against Black voters and other voters of color, older voters, first-time voters, returning citizen voters, and voters with disabilities. The people of Atlanta should decide fair and square if they truly want Cop City. 

Hip Hop Caucus calls on the city of Atlanta to consider actions that will restore trust from the voters of Atlanta by accepting the good faith collected signatures immediately and allowing the call of a November 7 citywide election to proceed accordingly. Democracy delayed is democracy denied.    

Hip Hop Caucus will continue to stand in solidarity with voters and efforts to make their voices heard about Cop City. 

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WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO Rev Yearwood Jr. issued the
following statement in response to being detained during a driving tour past proposed and
current petrochemical facilities in Saint James Parish in Louisiana:

“On Thursday, August 10, I, along with a group from Hip Hop Caucus, Rise St. James, and the Beyond Petrochemicals campaign were detained initially by a local property owner despite our peaceful attempts to leave the property and then by a Saint James Parish sheriff at the request of that same property owner during a tour of toxic petrochemical facilities along Cancer Alley in Louisiana.

Intimidation practices like these are sadly frequent occurrences for those seeking justice, equity and transparency. The truth is petrochemicals, which come from fossil fuels, are a little-known force behind much of the climate and environmental harm experienced in Black and brown communities.

While we prioritize safety for our team and our partners, we will not let fear from others make us fearful. We are here to support the liberation of our communities, tell the stories of those impacted by injustices, and stop the expansion of petrochemical facilities in the Gulf Coast and beyond. And we will not stop until the work is done.”

About Hip Hop Caucus
Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

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WASHINGTON, July 26, 2023— Hip Hop Caucus and The American Bar Association (ABA) today announced a new two-year collaboration commemorating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and the intersection of social justice. The partnership kicked off with an episode of the ABA’s signature Chair Chat series, hosted by the ABA’s Civil Rights and Social Justice (CRSJ) Section Chair Juan R. Thomas in conversation with Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. The inaugural 50th anniversary of hip-hop episode covers the history and focus of the Hip Hop Caucus, why the celebration of the 50th anniversary is important, and how and why attorneys are critical in the areas of voting rights restoration, environmental justice, civil and human rights and economic justice.

“It is an honor to partner with the American Bar Association, one of the nation’s leading legal organizations,” said Rev Yearwood. “This is an incredibly significant partnership that has the potential to convene the hip hop, legal and social justice communities for programming and discussions that address existing and emerging civil rights issues.”

“Engaging young people today in our democratic process is invaluable,” said ABA president Deborah Enix-Ross. “The ABA’s collaboration with the Hip Hop Caucus will hopefully spark a greater interest in and understanding of the justice system and everyone’s role in making it stronger and more inclusive.”

During this collaboration there will additional chats, and a four-part webinar series focusing on the broader hip hop culture, movement and impact that will lead to a deeper dive into the impact on issue areas where both the Hip Hop Caucus and the ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice (CRSJ) are focused and aligned. The two organizations will also discuss nuances of where the legal community may be misaligned with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, and potential strategies for addressing challenges.

“It is fitting that this historic collaboration between ABA’s Section of Civil Rights & Social Justice and the Hip Hop Caucus is occurring at a time when long-standing precedents, and hard fought advances in civil and human rights are being reversed. As we approach the 50th anniversary of hip hop, we must acknowledge the history, relevance and influence of this cultural movement within our civil rights and social justice journey,” said Thomas. “The ABA and Hip Hop Caucus are joining on this journey during this anniversary year and beyond to elevate, inform and engage our legal community on the racial, environmental and economic justice issues within marginalized communities.”

Hip Hop Caucus and The ABA will collaborate on continued programming featuring legal scholars, advocates, thought leaders and activists committed to fighting for social justice, protecting our democracy, and upholding the rule of law. Additionally, The ABA has invited Hip Hop Caucus issue area leaders to participate in their 21 substantive Committee calls to discuss possible ABA policy implementation on aligned issue areas and/or policy development.

About Hip Hop Caucus

Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

About The American Bar Association

The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO Rev Yearwood Jr. issued the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s proclamation establishing the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi and Illinois on what would have been Emmett Till’s 82nd birthday: 

“Hip Hop Caucus joins the nation and celebrates President Biden’s establishment of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. This three location national monument across the states of Illinois and Mississippi will protect and uplift the places that tell the story of Emmett Till’s brief, yet history changing life and the unparalleled courage of his mother Mamie Till-Mobley who fought to make sure her son’s racially motivated murder gained the necessary attention it deserved around the world. These three locations are Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood where Till’s funeral took place and the world was shown the face of American racism, Graball Landing site along the Tallahatchie River where Till’s body was discovered, and the Tallahatchie County Courthouse in Sumner, Mississippi where Till’s murderers were tried and acquitted by an all white jury. 

It is important especially at a time like this to honor the legacy of Emmett Till and push back against states like Florida trying to teach our children that slavery benefited Black people. It is critical to not allow history deniers to sanitize Black History and erase the racial violence committed against the Black community. This monument’s creation reminds all Americans of our true unfiltered history so that we can learn from, rather than hide from it.”

About Hip Hop Caucus 

Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

Hip Hop Caucus included in Los Angeles Projects Selected for New $400 Million Greening America’s Cities Initiative

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — July 17, 2023: The Bezos Earth Fund announced today $12.7 million to fund urban Los Angeles area urban greening projects as part of its new Greening America’s Cities initiative, a $400 million commitment through 2030 to create more equitable access to urban green spaces with more parks, trees, and community gardens. The foundation will launch the initiative at the site of one the Pacoima Beautiful initiative, the Pacoima Wash at Paxton Park in Los Angeles.

“We are honored to be a Bezos Earth Fund grant recipient. This grant will help Hip Hop Caucus bring attention to the climate and environmental challenges South Los Angeles communities face, amplify the community-based solutions they are advancing, and drive education around opportunities to maximize grassroots efforts,” said Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. 

The L.A.-based nonprofits receiving funding include: 

• Pacoima Beautiful receives funding to support the first phase to reshape four miles of the Pacoima Wash into a valuable community resource. Funding will go toward construction costs, community organization and outreach, professional development to secure additional funding, the hiring of additional staff, and volunteer training.
• TreePeople will plant and maintain at least 4,250 trees in underserved communities in LA, launch multilingual community organizing efforts to expand urban greening efforts, work to shape policy and green infrastructure support at the state and local level, and lead initiatives to inform underserved youth about career opportunities in the environmental sector. 
• Mujeres de la Tierra will launch a park revitalization and ongoing maintenance initiative, including pollinator-friendly, climate-appropriate landscaping, community stewardship programming, and youth workforce development.
• SE Asian Community Alliance will partner with the Los Angeles Regional Open Space and Affordable Housing (LA ROSAH) Collaborative to launch preemptive community-driven planning to prevent the displacement of long-term residents of the communities adjacent to Taylor Yard, a formerly contaminated rail maintenance yard which has recently been remediated and transformed into a 100-acre park.
• Hip Hop Caucus will engage residents in community activation events, film screenings, and digital media production that centers on environmental justice issues and solutions. These will include dialogue and advocacy supporting the development of new community green spaces and education and narrative creation around community-owned revitalization, economic development, and climate resilience efforts that result in healthy, thriving Black and brown neighborhoods across Los Angeles.
• East LA Community Corporation will partner with community farming organization Campos de Cultivo to complete the Lorena Terrace Community Garden and two additional green spaces. Through the project, Boyle Heights will gain access to nutritious, fresh food, as well as a venue for physical activity and meaningful, intergenerational social interaction.

Additional organizations funded to work in LA include GreenLatinos, Green Cities California, Urban Sustainability Directors Network, Trust for Public Land, ReGenesis, PolicyLink, University of Southern California – Urban Trees Initiative and the Equity Research Institute, and UCLA Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies. 

Other inaugural Greening America’s Cities include projects in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, and Wilmington, Delaware. The grantees are integral in leading these groundbreaking projects to advance nature in their communities. Their work includes community engagement, land acquisition, project design and construction, local training, and long-term maintenance.

There is clear evidence that “greening” U.S. cities with more — and better — parks, trees, and community gardens can improve physical and mental health, increase local resilience to climate impacts like extreme heat and reduce energy consumption. Health benefits come from improved air quality, more physical activity, reduced heat, the stress reduction effect of green spaces, and the opportunities green spaces create for social interaction. 

Historic systems of segregation, exclusion, and land dispossession have led to many communities living in nature-deprived areas. Consequently, these communities often do not benefit from nature’s benefits, like air and water purification, climate mitigation, or biodiversity.

The Greening America’s Cities initiative builds on the Earth Fund’s earlier $300 million in funding to climate and environmental justice groups in the U.S. Find more information on each city’s projects and a complete list of the grantees here. 

About Hip Hop Caucus 

Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

About the Bezos Earth Fund 
The Bezos Earth Fund is Jeff Bezos’ $10 billion commitment to fund scientists, activists, NGOs, and other actors who will drive climate and nature solutions. By allocating funds creatively, wisely, and boldly, the Bezos Earth Fund has the potential for transformative influence in this decisive decade. Funds will be fully allocated by 2030—the date the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals must be achieved.

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WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus Executive Vice President Tanya Clay House issued the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court 6-3 decision in the Biden v. Nebraska and Department of Education v. Brown cases on student loan debt:

“Hip Hop Caucus is sadly not surprised that the current United States Supreme Court has once again failed to stand with the American people in this decision to overturn President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. Despite this ruling, we stand with the Administration’s ability to cancel student loan debt and we encourage President Biden to continue to fight on behalf of everyday Americans by finding another legal remedy, including continuing the current pause on student loan payments implemented during the pandemic.   

Black people, particularly Black women, and borrowers under age 40 represent a majority of the $1.7 trillion dollars in U.S. federal student loan debt.. Student loan debt disproportionately burdens people of color, who already face significant economic disparities compared to their White counterparts. Communities across the board are continually feeling the weight of food insecurity, rising housing and education costs, and medical costs, making the need to cancel all student loan debt increasingly urgent. 

With approximately $27 million everyday Americans now not able to receive any relief from student loan debt despite millions of debt being forgiven for business, legislators and many in economically privileged classes during COVID, Hip Hop Caucus fails to see the equity in this Supreme Court ruling. A nation worth $25 trillion dollars that spends nearly $1 trillion dollars on its defense budget and provides trillions in tax cuts to billionaires can afford to clear the debt of average Americans across the country.” 

About Hip Hop Caucus 

Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

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WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus Executive Vice President Tanya Clay House issued the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court 6-3 decision in the 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis case on LGBTQIA+ rights:

“Open for business no longer means to everyone. Hip Hop Caucus is not surprised as much as it is saddened that on the last day of Pride month, the United States Supreme Court has ruled to deny public accommodations to the LGBTQ+ community, a protected class, based upon the prejudices of people. While this case was brought under the Free Speech Clause, this ruling has opened the door to discrimination against any protected class.

As Justice Sonia Sotomayor said, ‘Today, the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class.’

This is another sad day for our nation. In many states around this nation, you can still get married on Sunday, get fired on Monday and get legally put out of your home on Tuesday for being who you are and loving who you love. Moreover, the trans community is under attack daily from extremist state legislators pushing draconian bills banning trans athletes from participating in sports and from using public restrooms.

Despite this traumatic ruling, Hip Hop Caucus calls upon the United States Congress to pass the Equality Act. We need Congress to do as it has done in the past and again pass legislation which prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system as an addendum to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  

“We know that this is only the beginning of the fight to claw back LGBTQIA+ Rights in this nation coming from this court and we urge everyone to stand with Hip Hop Caucus in fighting to protect the civil rights of all Americans” 

About Hip Hop Caucus 

Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) 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 network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.

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