When he co-founded Grind for the Green with Zakiya Harris, Ambessa Cantave wanted to move “youth of color from the margins to the epicenter of the environmental movement.” Building upon the socially relevant message of his musical group Fiyawata, Ambessa guided Grind for the Green to become what Van Jones calls “one of the most innovative and creative youth components of the green wave rising in America and globally… giving the green movement’s political agenda a cultural voice — and that voice is Hip Hop.”
Ambessa Cantave
Grind for the Green accomplishes its mission by:
- Utilizing hip-hop culture as a vehicle to attract and engage youth of color in the green movement.
- Creating green pathways to success, which include green careers, internships and educational opportunities.
- Connecting our local work to national and international campaigns for eco-equity.
Now serving as on the G4G Board of Directors as the project has taken on a life of its own, Ambessa is also and Educator with the Alliance for Climate Education in the San Francisco Bay Area. With nine centers around the country, ACE is a non-profit “dedicated to educating America’s high school students about the science behind climate change and inspiring them to do something about it—while having fun along the way.” Beyond the classroom, the ACE website, www.acespace.com, offers a good amount of videos, a blog, and information about how to get ACE to come you a school in your area.
Ambessa took some time to talk to us about Grind for the Green, the Alliance for Climate Education, and bringing up urban youth to respect the environment.
To see Ambessa in action, watch the Alliance for Climate Education trailer…
ACE Assembly Trailer from ACE Space on Vimeo.
Steve McAllister, Modern Hippie Mag's resident Lifestyle Guru, describes himself as a Renaissance Man. An author, filmmaker, songwriter, and perpetual artistic experimenter, he has recently re-released his second book The Rucksack Letters into paperback to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the journey. His latest book, a comical foray into philosophical science fiction, is How to Survive an Estralarian Mind Meld. His latest artistic project is The Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path. .
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