Future Coalition, the creators of Earth Day Live, one of the largest digital mobilizations in history held in April 2020 that garnered 5 million views worldwide – announced the “Vote For the Earth” livestream series. The series unites Black and Indigenous youth leadership and calls on young people to tackle systems of oppression by turning out the vote in November. In partnership with Earth Guardians, We Stand United, Hip Hop Caucus and the International Indigenous Youth Council, the event will air on Future Live, Twitch, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
Vote For the Earth will reach a broad audience and leverage the best civic engagement technology and frontline and digital tactics to register new voters. It will encourage voters to access absentee ballots and to Vote For the Earth to build a sustainable future for the next seven generations.
The livestream series features stories of power, resilience and movement-building on the ground from frontline community members, along with musical performances and speakers such as Jaden Smith and Van Jones. Speakers will share messages on the intersectionality of social justice and climate justice, while also sharing the many resources available from the climate movement.
Vote For the Earth aims to contribute to a 55 percent youth voter turnout in the November election, while also aiming to reach 2 million Black and Indigenous youth eligible to vote. The series will also facilitate partnership building with Black and Indigenous organizers to diversify the climate movement and allow for partnerships with universities and organizations to register voters.
“Protecting our communities from systemic racism and violence and the climate emergency go hand in hand,” said Thomas Lopez, Partnerships Coordinator of the Climate Strikes with Future Coalition. “The youth vote is critical to turning the tide in the November presidential election, and Vote For the Earth will help us accomplish that.”
The 2-hour livestream will start at:
5 p.m. PST / 8 p.m. EST on Wednesday, August 12
To tune in, sign up at https://votefortheearth.us/.
Featuring musical and spoken-word performances from artists involved in climate activism and social justice movements, including:
- Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
- Leala Pourier
- Portugal the Man
- Zakaria Kronemer
- Jasilyn Charger
- Tokata Iron Eyes
- Cody Looking Horse
- Anjelah Johnson
- The Grand Alliance – Sur Ellz , Kayla Marque & Crl Crrll
- Van Jones
- Simone Johnson
- Reverend Lennox Yearwood
- Kaylah Brathwaite
- Jaden Smith
- UMI
- Supaman
- Ayoni
- Antoine Edwards & Nattaanii Means
The second and third livestreams of the series will air on September 16 and October 14. For more information, visit https://votefortheearth.us/.
About March On: March On is a political organization composed of women-led political activist groups that grew out of the women’s marches of January 21, 2017. They have come together as a united force to take concrete, coordinated actions at the federal, state and local levels to impact elections and take our country in a better direction. March On is not affiliated with Women’s March, Inc. For more information, visit wearemarchon.org.
About Future Coalition: Founded by youth activists for youth activists, Future Coalition is a network and community for youth-led organizations and Gen Z and young millennial leaders from across the country that came into being as a project of March On in the fall of 2018. The Future Coalition works collaboratively to provide young people with the resources, tools, and support they need to create the change they want to see in their communities and in this country. For more information, visit futurecoalition.org.
About Earth Guardians: Earth Guardians began in 1992 as an accredited high school in Maui, Hawaii, focusing on environmental awareness and social justice issues. Seeing the need to empower and amplify the voice of a wider audience,Since then, Earth Guardians has become a global movement providing a platform for hundreds of youth crews in over 60 countries to engage in some of the greatest issues we face as a global community. Earth Guardians continues to inspire and train diverse youth to be effective leaders within the climate justice and environmental movement worldwide. For more information, visit https://www.earthguardians.org/.
About International Indigenous Youth Council: The International Indigenous Youth Council (IIYC) is a social justice non-profit that serves Indigenous and POC youth in their journeys as young leaders. IIYC provides education-based resources and training in direct action, resistance art, spiritual practice and civic engagement. IIYC was started and led by womxn and two-spirit peoples during the Standing Rock Indigenous Uprising of 2016 while peacefully protecting the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. In 2017 IIYC extended the reach of the organization through a chapter model which serves youth across Turtle Island in areas including Chicago, Denver, New Mexico, Southern California, South Dakota, Texas (Yanaguana Chapter), Twin Cities Minnesota and Washington DC. The IIYC is a completely youth-led organization serving young people up to the age of 30. For more information, visit https://indigenousyouth.org/.
About We Stand United: We Stand United is an organization of award-winning artists, activists, political strategists and communications experts working together to protect our democracy and to advance social, economic, and environmental justice across the United States. https://wsucampaign.org/.
About Hip Hop Caucus: We link culture and policy to make our movements bigger, more diverse, and more powerful. We exist for everyone who identifies with Hip Hop culture to come together for positive change. Being part of Hip Hop Caucus means you can use your cultural expression to shape your political experience. For more information, visit https://hiphopcaucus.org/.
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