NEW ORLEANS, LA — Hip Hop Caucus will host Clear the Air: A Culture & Climate Experience during the 11th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. Happening on Saturday, March 21, 2026  from 7:00 – 9:00 PM at the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Clear the Air is an open mic experience designed to speak our truth, share our art, and build brighter futures.

The event will bring together HBCU students, local creatives, and community voices for a night of connection, culture, and conversation around climate and environmental justice. Now in its 11th year, the Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference’s theme for this year is “Legacy Rising: Charting our Future at the Crossroads of Climate and Justice.” Clear the Air will align with that theme and provide guests with an opportunity to do just that – clear the air; the event will also offer guests an opportunity unpack the realities behind plastics, petrochemicals, and environmental issues impacting BIPOC communities across Louisiana and the Gulf South, while clearing up misinformation and opening honest dialogue.

Guests will be treated to live performances and poetry, and will have an opportunity to connect, mingle, and vibe with artists, students, and changemakers from across the city. The event  will be hosted by Reaux Fareal, with poetry by Lyrical Paradigm and John Lacarbiere III, and sounds by DJ Rakimbeau. 

Clear the Air is taking place in conjunction with the 11th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference. Hosted by The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) and the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, the 11th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference, will take place on March 18–22, 2026, in New Orleans at the Jung Hotel. The four-day conference will convene students, faculty, community leaders, and environmental experts to present climate and resilience research and explore solutions to critical challenges, including sea-level rise adaptation, movement-building in frontline communities, and the intersections of social science and history with contemporary climate science.

Along with hosting Clear the Air during this year’s conference, Hip Hop Caucus CEO Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. will offer a keynote address on Thursday, March 19, the second day of the conference. In a session themed “Where We Have Been: Roots to Renaissance,” participants will examine the historical foundations of the climate justice movement, including the policies, practices, and power structures that produced environmental racism and unequal exposure to harm. 

“The 11th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference is happening during a critical juncture as we are at a literal crossroads for climate and environmental justice,” said Rev Yearwood. “From higher temperatures to detention centers, it is essential for us to continue building solidarity and telling our stories. And now more  than ever, we need to engage and empower young people and the next generation of changemakers to take the lead in this movement.” 

A native Louisianaian, Rev Yearwood is a movement builder, donor advisor, father and award-winning strategist for racial justice, climate justice, and health and environmental impacts. He leads initiatives that blend the power of culture with climate advocacy, while also holding leadership roles in philanthropy and advocacy.

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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.

 

About DSCEJ

The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ), founded in 1992, is the nation’s longest-serving environmental justice resource center, committed to advancing the health, safety, and livelihoods of communities impacted by pollution and climate change. Through research, education, and workforce training, DSCEJ collaborates with communities, scientists, and policymakers to address systemic environmental inequities. DSCEJ is dedicated to ensuring every person’s right to live free from environmental harm impacting health, housing, jobs, and overall quality of life.

 

About the Bullard Center

The Robert D. Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University was established to address the systemic inequities and structural racism that drive disproportionate environmental and climate impacts in Black and other communities of color. The Center combines research, advocacy, and education to advance a vision of equitable and sustainable futures for all.