ROBBY ROMERO: A VOICE ON CLIMATE CHANGE FROM AN INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE

Download this release in PDF format

Taos, N.M.— Climate change is possibly the biggest challenge the world now faces. Robby Romero of Taos, New Mexico, is a leader on the issue as a voice for Indigenous peoples.  The mission of his work is to bridge the gap between East and West, Indigenous peoples, human rights and the environment.

Romero tackles the tough topic of climate change from an Indigenous perspective. Romero’s productions include award-winning music and music pictures. His new music single and picture “Who’s Gonna Save You” will be broadcast during his upcoming appearance at the UN Conference on Climate Change COP18 in Quatar (www.cop18qatar.com).  Romero is attending as an Indigenous delegate.

“The issue of climate change is real. Every person, plant and animal on this planet is or will be affected,” says Romero. “With much of the world's natural resources found in Indigenous lands and territories, Indigenous peoples are among the first to experience the destruction and desecration of land and life by the devastating impacts of climate change.” 

Beyond being a voice on climate change and the founder of Native Children’s Survival, Romero is also a seasoned musician, singer-songwriter, producer and director who has performed with Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Carlos Santana, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Arlo Guthrie, Steve Miller, Ziggy Marley and many other celebrated musicians.  He spent much of his childhood in the company of Dennis Hopper, a relationship that would have a powerful impact on Romero’s creativity.

NATIVE CHILDREN’S SURVIVAL
Romero rose to prominence with the global broadcast of his first music video campaign, "Is It Too Late" and subsequent designation as a United Nations Ambassador of Youth for the Environment. Over the past two decades, through his nonprofit Native Children's Survival, Romero has used the international languages of music and film to help shift the paradigm on how human beings see themselves and their relationship to mother earth and all her children.

As a musician, Romero’s journey has taken him from the heart of Indian Country to the world’s main streets. As a filmmaker, the phenomenon of his innovative "Native Rock" music videos, stereotype-breaking PSAs, and politicized rockumentary films on networks such as CNN, MTV, VH1, and Sundance Channel catapulted him into an arena of his own making.

Romero's work prompted the United States Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to write him a letter, in which she commented:  “Your musical talent and leadership in the Native American community will undoubtedly help commemorate the United Nations adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples for years to come.”  
“Solutions are possible if we all act in innovative ways to address climate disruption,” says Mariel Nanasi, Executive Director, New Energy Economy. “We need novel policy, personal and business action. We need to transition from coal to renewables. And we need creative leadership like Robby Romero.” 

On behalf of Native Children’s Survival, he created a series of politicized rockumentary films and PSA campaigns. His debut on MTV Networks with music singles and videos introduced the music television generation to contemporary Native peoples intended to support the Congressional legislation Native Peoples Sacred Sites and Freedom of Religion. The legislation was successful and the campaign won the industry's prestigious Cable Ace Award. The rockumentary film, aired in 1993, had generated the highest viewer response of any show MTV Networks had aired to date at that time.

Who’s Gonna Save You
 “Who’s Gonna Save You,” was written and produced by Romero as a tool to expose the current critical issues around climate change. The music picture was conceived by Romero and acclaimed actor Clifton Collins Jr. Grammy Award producer, engineer and musician Steve Addabbo also worked with Romero and executive producer Stacey Thunder on the project. Funding was provided by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Red Lake Ojibwe Nation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska and the Coeur D’Alene Tribe. “Who’s Gonna Save You” was shot on location in New Orleans.

“We chose the location because Katrina has become symbolic to natural and man-made disasters, as have Haiti and Japan,” says Stacey Thunder, Executive Producer. Thunder is now in her eighth season in the hit PBS lifestyle news magazine program “Native Report.”  “Because the aftermath of corporate greed, corruption, relocation, and poverty associated with these catastrophic events is a profound warning and should be a great concern to us all.”

Though changes in global climate will affect everyone, it will not affect everyone equally
“Though changes in global climate will affect everyone, it will not affect everyone equally,” adds Romero. “It is now widely accepted that the most vulnerable communities in the poorest countries will be hit the hardest. The world needs to better and fully understand climate change. We need to take steps to mitigate and adapt to the consequences. From the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and fallout, to the record-breaking heat, droughts, and floods of this past summer, the catastrophes of climate change impact Indigenous peoples globally and will soon impact you.” 

Native Children's Survival (NCS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about critical issues facing Mother Earth, her children and the seventh generation to come. For more than two decades, NCS has created award winning music, music videos, music pictures, public service announcements, and rockumentary films that have reached millions of people through CNN, MTV, VH1, Sundance Channel, and many other global networks.

                                                              www.projectprotectawarenesscampaign.com
Images: http://eaglethunder.com/media/
Electronic Press Kit: http://www.projectprotectawarenesscampaign.com/2012_EPKv2.pdf
Radio eBlast: http://clients.allaccess.com/mail/R/Robby_Romero/rrb.html 
Radio Q&A: http://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/10-questions/archive/13776/10-questions-with-robby-romero

                                                   INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Contact:
Jennifer Marshall
505-231-1776
jennifer@jmarshallplan.com
www.jmarshallplan.com