Carbondale is On Fire
An artistic and musical exploration of Southern Illinois through the eyes of Amari Jackson (AJ), a songwriter, poet, and activist organizer from Carbondale, IL. The first half of the music video features a visual tapestry of greenery in Carbondale juxtaposed with recent fossil-fueled ocean fires. We hear AJ narrate their dreams, a mixture of climate disaster nightmares contrasting with hopeful dreams of what we can build if we choose leaders who take bold action now to divest from fossil fuels and invest in a Green New Deal. The tapestry fades and the singers of AJ's song "Save Our Home" are seen for their virtual choir performance.
AJ wrote, narrated, produced and edited the tapestry of images of Carbondale, IL; Melting Virgo produced and edited the virtual choir, and did a final edit of the full video.
Released July 30, 2021
“Save Our Home is a song I wrote, born of the frustration and urgency for necessary climate action. Calling upon people from all lands to stand up and save their homes, to unite under collective power and defend our spaces. Music and art has kept cultures and practices alive for generations when there was nothing but a song to pass along in remembrance of those who sacrificed much to protect ways of life under threat. Art and Music have been the heart and soul of many sacred practices, movements and social justice movements. This song is a tribute for people to keep organizing and keep fighting to protect their homes and communities, to those fighting for a better future.”
-Amari Jackson, songwriter, co-editor and collaborator
This video was submitted as a part of the
Open Society University Network's (OSUN) Summer 2021 Course.