Jazz musician Etienne Charles is combining his musicianship and passion about climate change and its impacts on vulnerable communities worldwide. Charles came to the Ford School January 17, 2025 and spoke with the Catherine Hausman, about the ways that music can connect communities and promote advocacy for climate consciousness, as the school's 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Day speaker.
Charles began the conversation highlighting his family's generational interest in climate change activism. He noted that his lifelong passion for environmental activism stemmed from his mother's work as "director of planning and development for Trinidad and Tobago's government," which influenced his interest in public policy and connecting with others. Charles stated that his mother's work "advocating for action against carbon emissions" motivated him to explore avenues where he could highlight the "real challenges" caused by climate change through his music.
Throughout the discussion, Charles offered many sentiments about the importance of connection to learn the impacts climate change has had in various communities. “For me, people are the vessels and especially the vessels for truth and understanding of a place that you've never been. You know, I was always taught that you learn by traveling and you sit with people, you sit with the elders, you sit with the storytellers, you sit with the artists, you sit with the builders and the makers. You make sure you connect with everyone.” He cited his worldly travels to places such as the Maldives, Bayou Houma, and Suriname as experienced insights into the very real hardships caused by climate change that countries across the globe are facing. Suriname is one of the 7 countries in the world that has net-zero emissions. Charles described his eye-opening visit to their climate-friendly lifestyle and culture. After visiting Suriname, Charles encouraged the audience to "go see these places, specifically the seven countries that are doing it right. Guyana. Surinam, Panama, Gabon. Madagascar, Niue and Comoros. Go see those places. See how those people are living. Go in the forest. Go in."
Further developing the theme of personal connection, Charles discussed with Hausman how he uses his music to unite others and promote feelings of hope for revolution. Charles asserted that such hardships caused by climate change have even worse implications for smaller and impoverished communities. Adversity and the need to problem solve and overcome difficulties are not unfamiliar for these communities. Charles argued, "One of the most important parts of the human experience is a lifelong interaction with adversity and understanding how to navigate it. So for me, that's why I'm always hopeful. And music is what's used to keep people upbeat." Charles discussed the ways he uses music as an intersection for climate activism and uniting people toward a cause.
Towards the end of their discussion, Hausman and Charles turned to a focus on revolutionary pressures that need to be enforced to see the changes necessary to protect our climate. Charles argued that environmental justice should be on the same pedestal as other social issues that incited revolution throughout history, such as civil rights. "All of the changes that have happened in the history of the world have been when you affect someone's bottom line. And that's revolution, is it?" Charles stated. "We need to impact big oil and gas companies' bottom lines to encourage change."
View the full discussion between Catherine Hausman and Etienne Charles here.
