While the majority of Britons believe climate change will end the human race, only 22% support the aims and tactics of Extinction Rebelion. So what is the way forward? Why do XR get labelled by some as political? Why don't people listen to these urgent messages? How do we get adults to listen to young people? Will we ever be able to effect change if we can’t get everyone on side? 

In the first episode of our festival, we discussed the impact of activism and alternative methods with artist / activist Emily Knock, dancer Emily Thomas, activist Marcie Rejwerska, and rapper and activist Johnny Cypher, along with live music and performances. On our free Zoom session our audience joined us to imagine and create real change.

Session host: Sophia Bolton

Johnny Cypher
I am a Rapper and events manager in Glasgow. Performing for over 8 years and running all kinds of events from live gigs to political meetings and gatherings. I won a climate challenge award in 2019 for workshops provided in summer schools teaching kids about climate change and how to express themselves through hip hop and poetry. I have educated in recovery centres, young offenders institutes, a host of community centres and residential homes to all ages and skill levels. Climate change was my gateway issue. It led me into activism and music and I feel it is the single most pressing issue of our generation and, crucially, in which the solutions contain the most hope. I am currently using lockdown to study my HND in music and community development and one day hope to travel the world using teaching and using hip hop as a vehicle to discuss and encourage social change. 

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Emily Knock
Emily Knock is a 20 year old climate activist from Suffolk, who combines her passion for the earth with her love of art and her current Fine Art Degree course at the University of Suffolk. She started her activism in 2018, focussing initially on the plastic pollution crisis, but has expanded the focus of her voice and platform to the entirety of the environmental crisis, as it is something which is becoming ever more urgent, as well as being something which effects everyone on the planet.
@plastic.free.emi 

Emily Thomas
Emily co-created Intricate Theatre and Co and produced their debut show Habitus which was previewed at Theatre Deli. She runs adult dance classes based in Manningtree and the surrounding areas and was previously a Theatre Youth assistant for the Mercury Theatre in Colchester and a freelance dance artist. She graduated from the University of Surrey where she achieved an upper class 2.1 in BA (Hons) Theatre and Performance. 

Marcie Rejwerska 
MSc Culture and Creativity Global Futures student, interested in geographies of community and kinship in urban planning.