Author: Hip Hop Caucus

Nominations bestowed to investigative series ‘Official Ignorance: The Death in Custody Podcast’ and short film on urban flooding ‘Freshwater’

WASHINGTON – Hip Hop Caucus is honored to receive two nominations for original projects as part of the 55th NAACP Image Awards. Hip Hop Caucus’ groundbreaking podcast series, ‘Official Ignorance: The Death in Custody Podcast,’ is nominated in the ‘Outstanding Limited Series/Short Form Podcast’ category and Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100% FILMS executive produced short film ‘Freshwater’ is nominated for ‘Outstanding Short Form Documentary.’

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. 

“We are excited and honored to be nominated for this award,” said ‘Official Ignorance’ podcast co-host, Howard University Chair of Pathology and Hip Hop Caucus board member Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr. “Official Ignorance finally gives a critical voice to the issue of death that occurs in the U.S. criminal legal system. Thank you NAACP for recognizing the importance of this work!”

“It is an honor to be nominated,” said ‘Official Ignorance’ podcast co-host and Carnegie Mellon University professor Dr. Jay Aronson. “And I hope that it will increase awareness about our podcast and, more importantly, the issue of deaths in law enforcement custody in the United States.”

‘Freshwater,’ which was created and narrated by filmmaker dream hampton, explores her remembrance of urban flooding in the Midwest and centers adolescence and climate change as themes. ‘Freshwater’ was produced by Pink Gators and was jointly released through The New York Times Op-Docs and PBS POV. 

As dream hampton shared with The New York Times in reflection on ‘Freshwater,’ “The team who made this film is a small cadre, a unit of people who love Detroit and wanted to create a tiny piece of art that wasn’t expected to perform in any particular way. Like a river, ‘Freshwater’ is meant to simply flow.”

Hip Hop Caucus’ Managing Director and COO Liz Havstad said, “We are so proud of these two productions. It’s central to our mission to tell stories that inspire audiences to imagine and fight for a more just and sustainable world. Receiving these nominations is an honor and is affirming that art and activism are powerful together.”

The 55th NAACP Image Awards will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2024 and will broadcast live on BET and CBS. To cast a vote for the ‘Official Ignorance: The Death in Custody Podcast,’ visit vote.naacpimageawards.net. 

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

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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.

The Caucus also celebrates the tireless efforts of frontline groups to push the Administration to stop exports

WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. issued the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s announcement to pause Liquid Methane (“Natural”) Gas exports:

“This is a momentous decision and a win for the people of planet Earth, aka Turtle Island. The decision to pause and review the economic and environmental impacts of new projects is an acknowledgement of the cries of those first and worst impacted and those hoping for a better future. The intersecting power of young people, frontline groups, and beltway advocates came together to finally show that organized people can make a difference. Delaying and possibly denying further construction of projects like CP2, which would have been one of the largest LNG terminals on the planet, further eroding the Louisiana Gulf coast, is by no means a small thing. So this is a moment for a collective sigh of relief, for celebration and for reflection. We commend the Administration for recognizing the environmental and health harms these projects have imposed on Black and other BIPOC communities for decades. 

However, we can’t rest here. While our collective sit-in at the Department of Energy may be called off for now, Big Oil and their puppets are already gearing up for fights in the media and hearings on Capitol Hill. They’ll say this is just the climate lobby and not the will of the people. They’ll say jobs are being killed and our geopolitical power is being diluted, despite the US already being the largest exporter of LNG by far. So today, we celebrate. And tomorrow, we are ready to fight again. All power to the people.”

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WASHINGTON—Hip Hop Caucus deeply mourns the loss of Tortuguita, a fearless environmental activist and a prominent figure in the Stop Cop City movement, who was killed one year ago today.

Manuel Paez Terán, also known as Tortuguita, was shot at least 14 times by police, leaving 57 wounds. Tortuguita’s death at the hands of Georgia state troopers, along with the Georgia bureau of investigation’s concealment of files surrounding his death, and the Stone Mountain district attorney’s finding of deadly force as reasonable, should haunt all of us. These actions by officials meant to protect our communities serve as a stark reminder that the struggle for justice and police accountability is far from over.

As we solemnly commemorate Tortuguita’s tragic passing, we must also take a moment to remember all of the human, civil, and environmental rights defenders whose lives have been cut short while fighting for justice. The irony is not lost on us that Tortuguita was slain in metro Atlanta just days removed from the birthday of Atlanta’s most famous resident and our nation’s most well known civil rights leader. It is not taken lightly that the same corporate greed that sought to quiet MLK’s message of economic freedom in his last days is once again providing cover for COP City and over-policing.

The criminalization of Stop Cop City activists is deeply troubling and threatens our fundamental rights. Safeguarding the space for peaceful protest is essential to the fabric of our democracy. It is imperative that activists like Tortuguita are not subjected to police violence or unfairly targeted or branded as criminals while advocating for change. We denounce unjust tactics reminiscent of the dark days of COINTELPRO and Jim Crow, including the overuse of domestic terrorism and racketeering charges, to silence activist voices.

As we honor the life and legacy of Tortuguita, may his spirit continue to inspire us all to stand up for our rights, seek justice, and work tirelessly to Stop Cop City.

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Today, Hip Hop Caucus’ Campaigns Manager Marsha Gosier issued the following statement in response to the alarming discovery of 215 multiracial bodies in unmarked graves near Jackson, Mississippi:

“Hip Hop Caucus stands in solidarity with civil rights attorney Ben Crump and the families of Dexter Wade, Marrio Moore and Jonathan Hankins by calling for a swift and thorough investigation by the Justice Department into the tragic and inhumane discovery of 215 multiracial bodies in unmarked graves behind the Hinds County, Mississippi jail. These circumstances are deeply concerning, warrant immediate attention, and highlight the urgent need to address issues related to deaths in custody and law enforcement accountability. 

The case of Dexter Wade, where crucial information was intentionally withheld from his family, is both heartbreaking and indicative of systemic problems in the criminal legal system. It underscores the importance of transparency and accountability at all levels of law enforcement. 

It is essential that this case is thoroughly investigated by the Justice Department, and the law enforcement officials responsible for the burial and lack of proper investigation, are held accountable.”

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WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. issued the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement to prioritize vinyl chloride, the cancer-causing chemical central in plastic production and at the root of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio earlier this year:

“The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to begin a review of this dangerous substance is welcomed and long overdue. Frontline communities have been advocating for years against petrochemicals like vinyl chloride and the Caucus was on the ground multiple times earlier this year to raise awareness of the damage done throughout the Ohio River Valley. 

Unlike other petrochemicals, vinyl chloride is almost exclusively used to make polyvinyl chloride, or PVC plastic, despite alternatives existing. Although the legal authority to ban vinyl chloride has existed for nearly 50 years, public opinion had not aligned to make this push until toxic fires burned for days outside of East Palestine, Ohio earlier this year. The Environmental Protection Agency will be opening a public comment period on this rule in the coming days. Hip Hop Caucus will be ready to work with our partners to get public input to ensure this cancer-causing chemical has seen its last days.”

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The first-of-its-kind agreement, signed by more than 200 nations, needs to be strengthened, and requires action to hold elected officials accountable

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – After nearly two weeks of contentious negotiations, nations at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP28, have signed a historic agreement to “transition away” from fossil fuels and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Russell Armstrong, senior director of campaigns and advocacy at the Hip Hop Caucus, issued the following statement in response to the news.

“COP28 was different from prior years. While the outcome may not have presented a full phase out from fossil fuels, it did signal a sea change that people – Black, Brown, Indigenous, Youth, Developing and Sea Island peoples – when united can affect change.

Throughout the last two plus weeks, Hip Hop Caucus was on the ground standing side by side with peoples from the Gulf South to the Global South demanding a fair, fast, and full phase out from fossil fuels. We met with diplomats and disruptors, organizing in hallways and hotel lobbies. The agreed-upon text is the first time in 28 conferences of the parties that all fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas – have been mentioned and called for being transitioned away from. In the final hours, leaders from hundreds of countries pushed back against fossil fuel lobbyists and the minority of fossil fuel states trying to line their pockets at the expense of humankind. There is hope for a future for our communities. Now we have to take the fight back home and push our elected leaders to deliver.” 

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300+ groups demand Biden stop new permits and dirty diplomacy

DUBAI, UAE — Over 300 organizations from over 40 countries across the globe released a letter today calling on the Biden Administration to abandon its support for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at COP28. The groups are demanding a stop to the permitting of new facilities in the United States and an end to financial and diplomatic support for LNG globally. The letter was delivered in advance of the “Break the Chain: Speak Out Against LNG” rally scheduled today for 3:30 GST at the front entrance of COP28 in Dubai.  

The United States, now the largest exporter of LNG on the planet, is expected to see exports double by 2027. The pipeline of proposed but not yet under construction facilities represents a veritable carbon bomb, threatening to lock-in over 1400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually — equivalent to the emissions of 378 new coal plants. 

“Any push for a phase-out of all fossil fuels at COP28 risks falling flat if the world’s leading LNG exporter shows no signs of changing course,” the letter reads. “We urge the Biden Administration to publicly commit during the COP to no further regulatory, financial, or diplomatic support for LNG in the United States or anywhere in the world.”

The U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) recently approved support for commodity trader Trafigura to insure speculative bets in the global LNG market. Although the Biden Administration has given regulatory approval to terminals like Alaska LNG, it has yet to approve major projects pending in or near the Gulf of Mexico, such as Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass 2 (CP2) — the largest export application ever considered by Department of Energy. 

Photographs from the “Break the Chain: Speak Out against LNG” rally will be available here. 

Signatories of the letter released the following quotes (listed in alphabetical order): 

“The United States’ expansion of deadly gas is a threat to communities everywhere. From sacrifice zones where fracked gas is extracted to sites in Asia where millions live alongside dangerous gas infrastructure, more LNG is a dead end hurting our people, said Lidy Nacpil of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt & Development. “At COP28, we sorely need bold leadership for a rapid, just, and equitable transition of the energy system to 100% renewable energy. President Biden can lead, but he must change course immediately and stop LNG expansion.”

“I came to Dubai because the Biden Administration isn’t listening at home,” said Melanie Oldham, founder of Better Brazoria: Clean Air and Water. “Communities like mine live in the shadow of the LNG boom. If this infrastructure isn’t stopped, it means more sacrifice zones and more emissions.” 

“With a fossil fuel phaseout the leading topic at COP28, now’s the time for the Biden administration to halt LNG exports once and for all,” said Ben Goloff of the Center for Biological Diversity. “The United States is doling out permits for new gas export terminals like there’s no tomorrow. Our new analysis shows that the Inflation Reduction Act’s emissions benefits are more than canceled out by the Biden administration’s support for new fossil fuel projects, and new LNG export facilities are the engine of this disastrous machine.”

“We’re faced with clear scientific consensus that we will not have a safe and stable climate if we continue to use and expand fossil fuels. Not only has the United States become the top exporter of LNG, the Biden administration is being bombarded with proposals for new export terminals that could quadruple U.S. LNG export capacity,” said Kelsey Crane, Senior Policy Advocate for Earthworks. “Unless the United States reverses course, the buildout of LNG threatens to put global and domestic climate goals out of reach, perpetuates environmental injustice, and condemns the Gulf South and global South to be sacrificed for false solutions.”

“If President Biden isn’t willing to stand up to LNG, then his climate legacy is in deep trouble,” said Lukas Ross, Senior Program Manager at Friends of the Earth U.S. “The United States cannot preach climate action in Dubai if it is willing to consider mammoth new projects at home like CP2.”

“While the United States is the largest exporter of LNG, Japan is the largest importer. Both are denying their historical responsibility for the climate crisis and putting communities in danger. We must stand together around the world and say no to more LNG,” said Ayumi Fukakusa, Deputy Executive Director at Friends of the Earth Japan.

“As the world’s greatest historical polluter, the United States cannot claim to be a climate champion while exporting methane LNG across the globe, furthering the climate crisis,” said Russell Armstrong, Senior Director for Campaigns and Advocacy at the Hip Hop Caucus. “The hypocrisy is that with one hand, our government has finally realized the need to regulate super pollutants at home, while with the other hand, it continues to sacrifice Black and Brown communities to export LNG at increasingly alarming rates across the globe, keeping other nations addicted to fossil fuels. Here at COP28, the United States must get serious about a full phaseout of fossil fuels that includes a stop to LNG exports, abated and unabated.”

“Under President Biden’s current policies, gas exports are expected to soar by 2035. This administration has funneled billions of taxpayer dollars into LNG projects in the United States and abroad,” said Allie Rosenbluth, United States Program Manager at Oil Change International. “If Biden wants to show he’s truly a climate leader, he must end all support for LNG and support a full, fair, fast, and funded phaseout of fossil fuels at the UN climate talks.”

“As a resident of a frontline community, I wholeheartedly understand and advocate for the imperative of a fast, fair, and forever phaseout of fossil fuels,” said Roishetta Ozane, Director of The Vessel Project of Louisiana and Gulf Fossil Finance Coordinator at Texas Campaign for the Environment. “Our community bears the brunt of the negative impacts caused by the extraction and burning of these fuels. As a mom raising children with health conditions caused by the pollution from these industries, I understand the impacts on human life. The United States must stop putting people last and for once put us first.” 

“The mad dash for gas is nothing but a blockade to a renewable energy future in Southeast Asia. Lies peddled by countries like the United States paint gas as a transition fuel, but our people and environment have paid a steep price,” said Krishna Ariola of Youth for Climate Hope Philippines. “In addition to LNG’s environmental and climate impact, new gas plants mean higher electricity bills and a slower transition to renewables. Why must we let LNG poison our waters, destroy biodiversity, and drive us further to climate chaos?” 

“The LNG terminal on Krk Island in Croatia was built despite the overwhelming opposition of the local and regional communities. Croatia now plans to increase its capacity by 100 percent and do it jointly with Austria and Bavaria in order to bring gas to Germany, who already has six new terminals planned. It’s proven that the demand for gas in Europe is decreasing. So the question is, who are these terminals actually in the interest of? Perhaps the United States as the biggest exporter of LNG to the EU?”, said Marija Mileta, vice-president of Zelena Akcija (Friends of the Earth Croatia).

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WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus’ Director of Democracy Reform, Chris Walton, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit’s decision ruling against section 2 of the Voting Rights Act:

“As people around the nation prepare to gather and celebrate the many things that we have to be thankful for this week, the 8th US. Circuit Court of Appeals has reaffirmed that we all don’t have an equal right to democracy via the Voting Rights Act. A 2-1 panel upheld a lower court ruling to dismiss an Arkansas redistricting case because it was brought by a private advocacy group. Under the panel’s decision, only the US Attorney General can challenge inequitable redistricting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. This is a gross misinterpretation of the legislation and given the 5th Circuit’s recent decision to uphold fifty years of precedent for a private citizen’s right to challenge unfair redistricting, this issue is likely to head to the Supreme Court. 

Since this groundbreaking civil rights era legislation was first passed, it has been the shield that many community-based organizations and individual voters have used against the worst attempts at voter suppression.

Hip Hop Caucus stands with our coalition partners in supporting the many legislative vehicles that are being put forward to expand voting rights to everyone in this nation, helping to make sure that people’s voices are heard and their votes are respected. This decision today strikes directly at the heart of our mission and at the heart of a multiracial democratic society we claim to be as the United States of America. This cannot stand.”

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NEW YORK — Leaders of major racial justice movements and organizations across the United States are calling on some of the world’s largest corporations—Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Uber, among others—to account for the lack of meaningful progress made after commitments to conduct racial equity and civil rights audits in the wake of the 2020 racial reckoning. Color Of Change, Community Change, Hip Hop Caucus, Majority Action, Open Mic, the Service Employees International Union, and UltraViolet Action sent joint letters to the corporate secretaries of 19 companies to ensure racial equity audits are legitimate, accountable, transparent, and impactful. 

“Racial equity is not achieved through unfulfilled promises and platitudes,” said Stephone Coward II, Economic Justice, Justice Paid in Full Campaigns Director at Hip Hop Caucus. “We saw a swell of corporations capitalize on the racial reckoning of 2020 with DEI commitments and new initiative announcements; however, we have seen little in terms of tangible results. For the second year, we are monitoring the progress made and we’ll continue to demand transparency, accountability, and clear action that supports systemic change and equitable outcomes for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities.”

Racial justice leaders have been actively shaping and monitoring the racial equity audits that leading corporations have conducted, as well as providing public assessments of both how well those audits are structured and the extent, or lack thereof, of their impact. While the majority of the 19 corporations that are being evaluated have yet to produce enough engagement and transparency on the outcomes and implementation of their racial equity audits, the group has found the one Airbnb continues to build upon six years after completion as well as the long-term commitments and internal structural updates recently made by State Street after receiving its audit report, represent the clearest examples of audits that have met expectations on legitimacy, accountability, transparency, and impact.   

“Corporations have a responsibility to ensure the equitable treatment of Black people. We have seen meaningful racial equity audits work in the past – audits that have given businesses better insights for serving their customers and their communities. For corporations to truly create positive change, these audits must be routine, thorough, and centered on the business’s policies, products and services. Racial equity audits when done correctly, will result in a stronger, more resilient corporate infrastructure.” stated Kyle Bibby, Interim Chief of Campaigns and Programs at Color Of Change. 

Last year the racial justice leaders reached out to the corporations to communicate their shared expectations and criteria for thorough and transparent audits, after investors expressed majority support for racial equity audit proposals in the 2022 proxy season. Racial equity audits as a practice is still a fairly new demand on corporate board leadership, and racial justice leaders have outlined the three best practices for completing a thorough audit:

1. Select an independent person or firm with civil rights and racial justice expertise and adequate resources to complete the audit. 
2. Ensure the audit comprehensively examines how corporate policies, practices, and products can either ameliorate or exacerbate racial inequalities. Audit processes should include proactively identifying and engaging in outreach to BIPOC stakeholders who are disproportionately impacted by racial inequity at corporations, as well as provide pathways for stakeholders to engage. 
3. Publicly release audit findings, recommendations, and progress reports under clear timelines, with action plans for the issues raised in audits.

While the 19 corporations have committed or are in the process of completing racial equity audits, the vast majority have failed to proactively identify and engage Black, Indigenous, and people of color stakeholders who are disproportionately impacted by racial inequity at or by the companies. This lack of engagement with racial justice organizations and BIPOC stakeholders within their organizations flags concern among the signatories about the sincerity of intentions and efforts to produce and implement meaningful changes to increase racial equity at the corporations. 

“Racial equity audits can only succeed when key stakeholders and shareholders representing impacted communities are included in the process. This ensures that the voices and experiences of those impacted by corporation decision-making are heard, and that the financial risk created by systemic racism in and beyond the corporation is properly assessed,” said Renaye Manley, Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives at Service Employees International Union. “Leaders have called on companies to engage advocates, civil rights experts, and shareholders in transparent audits, and now is the time to hold corporations to their racial justice commitments made in 2020.”  

These concerns about the lack of progress on racial equity audits are deepened by the proxy voting failures of the four largest asset managers— BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street, and Fidelity— on racial equity issues during the 2023 proxy season. The four asset managers hold outsized power over the other corporations in the monitored list, as they together account for 25 percent of shares voted in the S&P 500 and hold the fiduciary duty to hold the board directors accountable on the systemic risk of racial equity. Research released by Majority Action and SEIU earlier this year showed a large-scale failure to account for racial equity in the four asset managers’ proxy voting policies and practices negatively impacting shareholders’ proposals around racial equity audits, racial and ethnic board diversity, political spending and lobbying activity, human capital management, tech oversight, environmental justice, and board responsiveness.

“The largest asset managers have significant voting power over the world’s largest corporations, and yet they have continued to rubber stamp board directors and policies that run counter to their public commitments to racial equity and justice and the best interests of their long-term investor clients,” said Eli Kasargod-Staub, CFA, Executive Director of Majority Action. “Shareholders and community stakeholders alike are calling on asset managers and board leaders to mitigate the systemic risk of racial inequity that harms impacted communities and employees, economic growth, and portfolio performance.”

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Majority Action is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering shareholders of all sizes to hold corporations and their leadership accountable to high standards of long-term value creation, corporate governance, and social responsibility. www.majorityaction.us

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) unites 2 million diverse members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. SEIU members working in the healthcare industry, in the public sector, and in property services believe in the power of joining together on the job to win higher wages and benefits and to create better communities while fighting for a more just society and an economy that works for all of us, not just corporations and the wealthy. www.seiu.org

Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over 7 million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America. Visit www.colorofchange.org. 

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.

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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