Antonique Smith and Rev Yearwood Launch Nonprofit to Mobilize Black Communities on Climate Vote

Actress Antonique Smith and activist Rev Yearwood have teamed up to launch Climate Revival, a brand new nonprofit utilizing the facility of music and movie star to mobilize religion communities and folks of coloration to get out the local weather vote, each within the 2024 election and past.

The duo will host particular occasion “Climate Revival: Live” in Washington, D.C., on Friday to kick off the initiative, that includes appearances from Leslie Odom Jr.,  filmmaker Maya Penn and Rep. Justin J. Pearson.

Smith — who has appeared in Hire on Broadway in addition to onscreen in Luke Cake and 2009’s Infamous — will function CEO of Climate Revival, and has been part of the local weather motion for the final decade after seeing how her neighborhood was being affected. She factors to a current Yale research that discovered 68 % of Black People reside inside 30 miles of a coal-fired energy plant that causes bronchial asthma and most cancers however solely 12 % of Black People have ever heard of local weather justice. 

“This fall is the most significant chance in history for us to make progress. All over the country, there are climate champions and climate legislation up and down the ballot that can help rebuild our systems and put them to work for the people and our planet,” she mentioned in a press release. “We’ve got to get out there and use our faith, our music and our joy to bring people together and vote on climate. It’s not enough to survive, we deserve to thrive.”

Yearwood is the co-founder of Climate Revival and is called the president & CEO of Hip Hop Caucus. He was the topic of Hip Hop Rev, a documentary on Discovery following his longtime work as a social and local weather justice advocate.

“We are in the midst of a climate crisis and what we need is a climate revival. We must transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, and we must use our faith, our love, our culture and our humanity to make this change,” he mentioned of the present second. “Our environment cannot be a partisan or political issue. We are God’s children, and we must do everything we can to make our planet livable for future generations.”

Yearwood added of the plan behind their initiative, “Data, studies and information doesn’t bring people together or create shared bonds; it doesn’t get people off the couch and into the voting booth. I’ve been working in climate for years, and it’s always the collaborations with celebrities and musicians that reach the most people, create the richest experiences and inspire the most action.”