How does climate change affect DR Congo and the chain of migration, what is the colonial context for this and what does it mean for how both People Of Colour and Europeans understand Climate Change and Justice? The video recording of the discussion that took place on 12 November 2020 is now available to view.
The People’s History Museum (PHM) has a series of monthly ‘Radical Late’ sessions at 6pm, the November 2020 event was dedicated to the subject of Climate Change, Migration and DR Congo. Led by artist-activist Kooj Chuhan the online session included thought-provoking discussions with researcher-writer Alex Randall along with Emmanuela Yogolelo about the ways in which colonialism, conflict, race and migration connect with climate change, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and people arriving from there to the UK. The evening also included a pre-recorded performance by Samuella Ganda from Amani Creatives.
Climate Change, Migration and DR Congo – video of the online discussion:
About the speakers at Climate Change, Migration and DR Congo:
Kooj Chuhan
Kooj (Kuljit Singh) Chuhan is the Director of Crossing Footprints, an organisation connecting creativity with issues of human rights, environment and wellbeing. As a digital artist, filmmaker and creative producer, Kooj artistically interweaves racial justice with climate change. He is also the founding member of artist collective Virtual Migrants. Kooj has won an award for digital arts connecting refugees with climate change, and curated the exhibition ‘Footprint Modulation’ on climate migration across five venues in Durham. Other work includes ‘Chamada From Chico Mendes’ interactive art combining documentary, poetry and sound from across the world, and ‘Buy This’ a two screen interactive video installation connecting over consumption, human displacement and environmental destruction.
Alex Randall
Alex is the Programme Manager for both Climate Outreach and the Climate and Migration Coalition; a network of refugee and migration Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) working together on issues around climate change. Alex was lead author on the Moving Stories report, which explores the real lives of people displaced by climate linked disasters. He has written frequently for The Guardian newspaper and other outlets on climate change and migration.
Emmanuela Yogolelo
Emmanuela is a singer-songwriter, music facilitator, cultural leader and producer originally from the world’s second largest tropical rain forest, the Congo basin. Her interest in climate justice activism started when she was commissioned by HOME in Manchester to create and perform a new interactive performance as part of the annual Horizons Festival. She chose to use her personal experience of climate change as a refugee and third world citizen to create an interactive performance.
Samuella Ganda
Samuella is a singer-songwriter, plays piano and has written a song about climate change. She is one of the upcoming and talented young musicians in Manchester’s local African community, who are provided with artistic and professional development support from Amani Creatives, an African led arts organisation based in Manchester.
Samuella Ganda
Samuella is a singer-songwriter, plays piano and has written a song about climate change. She is one of the upcoming and talented young musicians in Manchester’s local African community, who are provided with artistic and professional development support from Amani Creatives, an African led arts organisation based in Manchester.
