NEW ORLEANS, LA — Hip Hop Caucus is bringing environmental justice and comedy together to showcase the power of storytelling as a tool for social change. On Saturday, July 11, 2026, the Caucus will host “The Block is Hot: A Climate Comedy Workshop and Showcase” in New Orleans. The workshop will take place from Noon – 4 pm CT, followed by the showcase from 5 – 6:30 pm CT.
Both events will take place at Ashé Cultural Arts Center’s Adinkra Lounge, 1719 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, New Orleans, LA. With a focus on spotlighting participants between the ages of 18-25, this education program aims to empower young people to express climate issues through comedy and creative storytelling. It will also offer them an opportunity to connect environmental justice storytelling to the community resilience of the Gulf South.
Participants will workshop their ideas, working with other artists, creatives, and activists, to create a comedy set that they will then have an opportunity to perform during the showcase later in the evening. The workshop will feature creative sessions that explore sketch comedy and stand-up, and will include social media engagement sessions to help participants create digital storytelling frameworks to promote their ideas.
“By centering young people aged 18 to 25 in this workshop, we are empowering the next generation to lead crucial conversations about the impacts of climate change and environmental injustices,” says Brittany Bell Surratt, Comedian and Hip Hop Caucus Senior Director of Storytelling & Communications. “Comedy has the unique ability to connect heavy climate issues to everyday life, and this workshop and showcase will help youth find the relatable humor needed to inform their family, friends, and neighbors, while giving them access to creative tools to drive real civic change.”
Presented in partnership with New Orleans Katrina Commemoration, Inc., SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education, andAshé Cultural Arts Center, the event will be hosted by New Orleans’ own comedian, producer, entrepreneur, advocate, and game-changer, Keka You Know. Comedians supporting the workshop and the showcase include, Shady Feel Good, Smiley Da Comedienne, Mario P, Lauren Malara, and Korey with a K. Winners from the showcase will receive the following prizes: 1st Place – $500, 2nd Place – $250, and 3rd Place – $100.
“Comedy offers young people—who may not yet possess the economic or institutional influence to spark climate change—a potent tool,” says Max Boykoff, Faculty Executive Director of the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education and Professor in the Environmental Studies department at the University of Colorado Boulder. “They can utilize humor to highlight contradictions, hypocrisy, incongruities, worries, and concerns, as well as express ambitions and aspirations for positive and sustainable transformations within their adult lives.”
“We did a workshop like this in New Orleans last summer, so I can tell you from experience, get ready for a fun and energizing experience,” says Beth Osnes, Faculty Associate Director for Student Engagement and Professor of Theatre and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado. “This workshop is designed for peer to near peer mentorship in which professional comedians encourage and support young aspiring comedians in finding the funny while communicating climate challenges and solutions.”
The Block is Hot: A Climate Comedy Workshop | Saturday, July 11, 2026, Noon – 4 pm CT
Framed as an education program that uses humor as a tool for climate storytelling, civic engagement, and intergenerational learning, the Climate Workshop will empower college-aged participants to make complex climate concepts accessible, engaging, and locally relevant through humor. Participants will workshop their ideas, working with other artists, creatives, and activists, to create a comedy set that they will then have an opportunity to perform during the Climate Comedy Showcase later in the evening.
Registration: Participants will need to register for the workshop. The deadline to register for the workshop is Thursday, July 9, 2026. Please note: The workshop is free and open to young adults ages 18-25 .
The Block is Hot: A Climate Comedy Showcase | Saturday, July 11, 2026, 5 – 6:30 pm CT
The New Orleans Katrina Commemoration Foundation, Hip Hop Caucus, Inside The Greenhouse, and SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education present a youth-led climate comedy show! Hosted at Adinkra Lounge’s Lovers Lounge, we are uplifting the next generation of storytellers through climate comedy. The event will be hosted by New Orleans’ own comedian, producer, entrepreneur, advocate, and game-changer, Keka You Know. Comedians supporting the workshop and the showcase include, Shady Feel Good, Smiley Da Comedienne, Mario P, Lauren Malara, and Korey with a K. Winners from the showcase will receive the following prizes: 1st Place $500, 2nd Place $250, and 3rd Place $100.
RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to RSVP as seating for the showcase will be limited. The event is free and open to the public. Please note: Doors open at 5 pm, with the program beginning at 5:30 pm.
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About Ashé Cultural Arts Center
Ashé Cultural Art Center’s innovative programming is designed to utilize culture in fostering human development and civic engagement. We maintain 10,000 square feet of gallery space and 20,000 square feet of performance space to create and preserve opportunities for the curation, exhibition, and commission of fine, folk, and fine-folk art. Producing over 350 music, theater, dance, spoken word, drum circles, and multi-disciplinary events a year, Ashé believes in art as a paradigm-shifting call to action. As ecosystem builders, we deliver programming and direct services that support, leverage, and celebrate the people, places, and philosophies of the African Diaspora.
About New Orleans Katrina Commemoration, Inc
The Katrina Commemoration, Inc. was established to honor the victims and survivors of Hurricane Katrina and to advocate for policies that protect and uplift Gulf South communities. Through annual commemorations, educational programs, and community organizing, the foundation ensures that the lessons of Katrina are never forgotten.
About the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education
The SPIKE Center serves as an accelerator for sustainability education at University of Colorado Boulder, seeking to grow opportunities for students to incorporate sustainability into their education, support faculty in their teaching of sustainability, grow experiential learning, and improve outcomes for students.
About Hip Hop Caucus
Formed in 2004, Hip Hop Caucus 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, Hip Hop Caucus addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. Hip Hop Caucus programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today’s young leaders.