Hip Hop Caucus Hosts ‘We Shall Breathe’ Virtual Summit on June 30 to Challenge the Petrochemical Industry’s Expansion Plans

Summit will feature impacted community members and leaders, climate and environmental justice experts, and live performances

LOS ANGELES — The national nonprofit organization Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100% platform will host the ‘We Shall Breathe’ virtual summit on June 30, 2022 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The summit will bring together activists and climate justice experts to engage audiences in the effort to stop petrochemical facilities expansion, particularly in Houston, Louisiana, and the Ohio River Valley which are production epicenters in the U.S. Register for ‘We Shall Breathe’ here

Petrochemicals are the building blocks for plastics, pesticides, clothing, digital devices, and other common products. Petrochemicals are made from oil and natural gas, and contaminate air, water and soil. Emissions from petrochemical production account for 10 to 15 percent of the U.S.’ climate pollution. A majority of petrochemical plants are located in Black and Brown communities and without successful intervention to curb expansion, the petrochemical industry could account for nearly half of all oil industry growth by 2050. 

“While the world is making strides in transitioning to clean energy and electric vehicles, the oil industry is eyeing petrochemicals as their lifeline to the future,” said Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO. “Their business plan is a death sentence to our communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and on the fence lines of these industries. The ‘We Shall Breathe’ Summit will host some of the most dynamic leaders across the country who are coming together to shut down polluting facilities in communities and advance real climate justice solutions for all our futures.” 

The ‘We Shall Breathe’ summit with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies will feature visual art, clips from the Hip Hop Caucus’ Think 100% film series ‘Big Oil’s Last Lifeline’ and interactive presentations and panel discussions. Guest speakers and performers include Jacqueline Patterson, Founder and Executive Director of The Chisholm Legacy Project, Kristy Drutman, Host of the Brown Girl Green podcast, poet Zoe Enne Samuel, and more will be announced.  

“The substantial gains we’ve made in cutting climate pollution and saving lives threaten to be swamped by new fossil fuel projects. And frontline communities stand to be hit first and worst, just like they have been with pollution from existing facilities and from the impacts of climate change,” said Antha Williams, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Environment Program. “The ‘We Shall Breathe’ summit will convene key players and amplify the voices of those who experience the brunt of pollution and see solutions to bring us a healthier, more sustainable, and just future for all.”

The inaugural ‘We Shall Breathe’ summit held in April 2021 had more than 35,000 people tune in live from across the U.S. and garnered more than 250,000 views. The summit featured speakers from the NAACP, Black Women’s Roundtable, and the National Black Environmental Justice Network (NBEJN). Stream the 2021 ‘We Shall Breathe’ summit here

For more information about the ‘We Shall Breathe’ summit, visit www.weshallbreathe.com

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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