Pass The Mic - Amplifying Unheard Voices in Climate Conservation
In a world full of influencers and loud voices, it’s often hard to get a word in. The #PassTheMic campaign’s mission is to get influential figures to pass their platforms, or ‘mics’ to those unheard voices at the frontlines of the climate crisis.
Illustration by Laura Cuppage.
In September 2020, Sir David Attenborough - English broadcaster, environmentalist and natural historian (who surely needs no introduction), broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to reach 1 million followers on Instagram, taking 4 hours and 44 minutes. This record has since been overtaken by Rupert Grint, beating his time by 43 minutes.
Attenborough’s account, run by Colin Butfield and Jonnie Hughes of Silverback Studios, was set up to promote his 2020 film “A Life On Our Planet”, garnering over 6.3 million followers and the attention of millions more worldwide. However, the account is now inactive.
David Attenborough told the BBC that Instagram, and the world of social media, is not something that he’s rushing to return to.
“I was persuaded … to do a message about conservation. So for a limited period of time I did contribute to Instagram, but I’m off now. And I don’t intend to go back.”
But as David said, his account was made to spread messages of conservation and environmentalism - so what happens now that the account is bare? With such a huge following and platform, surely this stage could be used to amplify the voices of others?
This has sparked the ‘Pass The Mic’ movement online. #PassTheMic started in 2020, founded by Tori Tsui, to get influential figures, such as David Attenborough, to allow those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and those from under-represented groups to stand atop their proverbial stages. Their mission is to raise awareness about global climate issues while amplifying the most marginalised people and areas.
Pass The Mic told Bloom in Doom more about their campaign.
“Our mission is to create an equitable world where the frontline communities and activists are amplified. We want to create a culture where it is normalized for people with power and influence to pass their platforms to spotlight and work together with activists, uniting behind the climate cause. We believe in breaking through the echo chamber to raise awareness and thus actions around climate campaigns in spheres that may not necessarily engage with the climate conversation. We consider it of utmost importance to unite behind the climate cause to further drive climate action and champion climate justice. Finally, our mission is to amplify the most affected people and areas or MAPA since the climate crisis disproportionately affects them even if they live the most sustainably.”
Originally focused on Sir David and his gargantuan Instagram following, the campaign has now branched out to include other people of influence, brands and organisations. Pass the Mic even offer up their own social media accounts and website as a platform - allowing climate activists to use their ‘mic’.
“Although we started of with our video asking Sir David Attenborough and his team to pass their instagram platform to spotlight frontline activists, we've now structured ourselves to be a much larger campaign targeting a variety of NGOs, celebrities and other influential people to hand over their platforms to the Most Affected People and Areas. One of our biggest campaigns was during Black History month and Women’s History Month with grassroots organisations such as Generation Green and Black Girl Environmentalist, called Reclaiming Our Time. During these two months, a small team of activists from each of the organisations reached out to over 60 Black activists and facilitated IG takeovers for them with organisations and celebrities by matching the activists with an appropriate platform. The platform would share the activists work through IG stories, lives or posts, allowing them to be seen in spaces they typically would not be seen and to gain more opportunities for their voices to be heard and amplified. The activists were then compensated for their work with donations from the participating platforms and many have gone on to have their work seen in other spaces.”
The hashtag has already helped - with thousands of people using #PassTheMic and #PassTheMicClimate to share their beliefs and stories. You can share your messages by using the hashtags on your social media posts and signing this online letter to Sir David and the Life on Our Planet Team, to use their now abandoned platform to amplify the unheard voices of climate conservationists at the frontline of the crisis around the world. Regardless, the Pass the Mic Team scheduled many campaigns in 2021 to feature these powerful and valuable voices. This started with an official campaign launch in January, then led to their Reclaiming Our Time Campaign for Black History Month, spotlighting Indigenous defenders and communities, the LGBTQ+ community, island nations as well as offering the opportunity for you to put forward other ideas to voice on their website and social media.
“Following up, for the March 19th Global Day Of Action, we ran a campaign in collaboration with FFF MAPA, Climate Live, Bad Activist Collective, Black Girl Environmentalist, Latinas For Climate and Climate Control Projects. During the campaign, we facilitated takeovers, lives, panels and posts on influential accounts to spotlight climate activists, shed light on the global climate movement and the narrative for the Global Day Of Action, #NoMoreEmptyPromises. In the week leading up to March 19th, several platforms shared content and programs that spotlights activists and campaigns, galvanising momentum and informing people of ways to get involved. March 19th was a momentous day for the team. As we go forward we hope to carry on our mission to address the need for passing the mic and facilitate similar campaigns on larger scales. Some exciting things are on the way!”
They regularly update their Instagram followers on the #PassTheMic mission, and share stories of environmentalist takeovers on other large platforms. Famous voices and organisations from all over the world have handed over the ‘keys’ to their platforms, including Greenpeace, Intersectional Environmentalist, Anne Hathaway, Mark Ruffalo and James McVey - all showing support for the message that Pass The Mic Climate represents.
You can find out more about the Pass The Mic campaign on their website and this interview with the BBC World Service.
Thank you to Laura Cuppage for her beautiful illustration. You can find more of her work on her Instagram @laura.cuppageart.
Emily Gilford
Emily is a Zoology BSc (Hons) and Ecology MSc graduate from the University of Exeter, currently based in Cornwall. Her interests lie in animal behaviour and blue health. Over the past few years, Emily has managed The Beach Clean Project in Cornwall, connecting people over a mutual love of keeping our coastlines clean. Emily enjoys being out with her camera spotting wildlife and learning as much as she can. Emily is an online article editor and contributor here at Bloom in Doom. Find her on Instagram @emilygilford.