Laughing, Learning & Land Justice: Climate Storytelling Takes Center Stage at LA Climate Week
From a student-powered comedy showcase to a powerful film screening of Black Soil Rising, Hip Hop Caucus and partners spotlight creative, community-driven approaches to climate justice.
We are still riding the high from LA Climate Week. This year’s festivities were centered in climate storytelling through various mediums such as comedy and filmmaking. Hip Hop Caucus hosted a Climate Comedy Workshop & Showcase and a screening of Black Soil Rising at our Downtown Los Angeles Studio. Bringing together climate justice and community will always be the type of powerful collaboration we want to be a part of.
On Saturday, April 11 in collaboration with Inside The Greenhouse, we invited local college students to participate in our Climate Comedy Workshop & Showcase. Oftentimes, environmental issues can be confusing and daunting due to the subject matter, and more recently, the policy rollbacks and unpredictable weather. This is why climate comedy is a unique and powerful storytelling tool that bridges awareness, topical education, and laughter. Several students participated in the workshop and they learned how to craft jokes that weave in personal connections or anecdotes related to the impacts of climate change in their everyday lives. Climate comedian and educator Esteban Gast paired up with talented television writer and performer Rasheda Crockett to co- lead breakout sessions with workshop participants. These sessions provided workshop participants with direct feedback and the opportunity to practice their material.
Following the workshop, participants took their jokes to the stage for a chance to win a cash prize. The first place prize and $500 went to Xavier Davis, currently a student at the University of Southern California and Chair of USC Comedians. Davis won over both the crowd and the judges with his energetic stage presence, seamlessly weaving his jokes with current climate events and his Arkansas roots.
“First you get them to laugh, then you get them to listen.”. - Michelle Obama
Comedy has a long history of intersecting with social issues. However, environmental themes first gained prominence in entertainment and media during the 1960s and 1970s, coinciding with the rise in popularity of Earth Day celebrations. Unlike mainstream blue comedy, you don’t have to worry about being cancelled for climate jokes and there is plenty of source material. From increased carbon emissions to more frequent natural disasters, climate change is a unified issue that impacts everyone that inhabits Earth.
Soulful R&B music set the tone in our dimly lit office, the air carried the scent of incense while plants nestled among the attendees. On Monday, April 13, Hip Hop Caucus’ office transformed into a radically whimsical haven for the screening of the short film Black Soil Rising. The Energy Justice Law and Policy Center (EJLPC), in collaboration with Black in Environment, hosted the screening as a Black Climate Week gathering with a focus on storytelling, land justice, and community connection. The film is set on the Johnson Family ancestral land in Conecuh County, Alabama, home to the state's largest oil field. It follows Raya Salter, Founder and Executive Director of the EJLPC, and Johnson family members as they fight to protect inherited land passed down since enslavement.
The film concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Kikelomo Sanni featuring Brittany Bell Surratt, Hip Hop Caucus Senior Director of Storytelling & Communications, Abre’ Conner, Director of Environmental and Climate Justice at NAACP, and Raya Salter. The dynamic panelists covered an array of topics including their legacy to Black farming, the fossil fuel industry, and the constant push for A.I. At the intersectionality of environmental racism and climate change, films like Black Soil Rising challenge the toxic industries that threaten our health and heritage.
An EcoVibe Mixer closed out the evening for guests to get more acclimated with guests and engage with the space. Goodie bags of herbs were provided by the Compton Community Garden and attendees were able to write letters of reflection for the past, present and future.
Overall, LA Climate Week served as a powerful reminder of how creativity and community are essential forces in the fight for climate justice. By integrating comedy and filmmaking into the conversation, Hip Hop Caucus and its partners demonstrated innovative ways to approach storytelling that allow complex environmental issues to be accessible and engaging. From the laughter shared at the comedy workshop to the deep reflection inspired by Black Soil Rising, the events reinforced the need for collaborative, culturally relevant strategies to inspire action and protect our collective future and our planet.
And as we celebrate Earth Month, here’s some love from the Moon, thanks to NASA!
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