Hip Hop Caucus brings culture, community, and political power together this weekend as its “Barz & Ballots” event arrives in Flint

FLINT, Michigan — Hip Hop Caucus aims to turn artistic expression into grassroots action as its “Barz & Ballots” event arrives in Flint on Saturday, November 22, from 6–8 p.m. at Comma Bookstore. The community gathering will feature poets, musicians, comedians, and advocates using their platforms to raise awareness about how big-money influence shapes Michigan’s elections and energy policies, and to help collect signatures for a statewide ballot initiative designed to change that.

According to the Hip Hop Caucus, a national, nonpartisan organization that advances climate justice, economic justice, and civic engagement through cultural organizing, Flint was intentionally chosen for this event. Organizers say Flint residents continue to carry a disproportionate burden when it comes to energy affordability, political inequities, and the long shadow of environmental harm. Bringing Barz & Ballots to Flint is about pairing culture and activism to empower a community that knows these issues not as abstractions, but as daily realities. 

Dr. Alexa White, Think 100% Climate & Environment Policy Director at the Hip Hop Caucus and the lead planner for the event, says the evening aims to “curate a space where attendees can hear about an issue impacting their wallets and pair that information with art.”

At the center of Saturday’s event is the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics (MMOP) campaign, a citizen-led effort working toward placing a proposal on Michigan’s November 2026 ballot. The initiative seeks to ban political contributions from regulated utilities to state officeholders, prevent large state contractors from donating to politicians who oversee their contracts, strengthen disclosure rules for political advertising, and close what organizers describe as the “issue ad loophole.” White explains that the purpose is straightforward: “to reduce the outsized influence of big money in Michigan elections so decision makers prioritize Michiganders’ needs, not donors.”

For Flint residents, the stakes are particularly high. Studies show that Flint ranks among the nation’s hardest-hit cities for energy affordability. White notes that Flint has been ranked fourth in the nation for highest winter heating bills, and that the city has some of the least affordable electricity rates in the country when adjusted for income. She also points back to 2015, when Flint families were paying nearly twice the national average for water. 

These realities, she says, are inseparable from political influence: “When utilities pour money into politics instead of fixing affordability, communities like Flint feel it first and worst.”

The Hip Hop Caucus believes that change demands both policy reform and cultural connection, a philosophy central to Barz & Ballots. The event uses artistic expression as a vehicle for civic participation, an approach rooted in the organization’s belief that “social justice issues can be temporary, but art is forever.”.

By blending culture with information, organizers hope to reach people who may feel disconnected from traditional political processes. “It takes creativity to move the spirit of advocacy, and it takes culture to enter the doorway of community,” White says. She emphasizes that community members already understand the issues; they often just need the language, resources, and encouragement to act.

Artists and performers are central to this strategy. Their role, White explains, goes far beyond entertainment. Because they carry trust, authenticity, and deep cultural resonance within their communities, they can communicate messages about justice and democracy in ways that feel genuine rather than political. 

“When artists speak, their audience listens,” she says, noting that a powerful performance can shift perspectives in ways that conventional campaigning cannot. “This level of access doesn’t happen overnight — it is gained.”

Event organizers hope attendees walk away feeling both informed and activated. For White, the goal is for residents to leave knowing they are the experts on the issues affecting them and that they have a concrete path to influence change. 

“I want folks to walk out of Barz & Ballots feeling like they are not just enduring, they are shaping what comes next for Flint.” She hopes the event will help people “connect the dots between the pain they feel in their bills and the political choices being made in Lansing,” and understand that signing the petition is a meaningful step toward change.

For those inspired to stay engaged after Saturday, White stresses that signing the petition is only the beginning. Residents can volunteer with MMOP, become trained petition circulators, attend future events, join virtual trainings, share their personal stories, or help organizations endorse the campaign. “People can treat Saturday like a starting line,” she says. 

“Once you become a signatory, you can help us get more signatures. We need more than 357,000 valid signatures, so there’s room for everyone to make an impact.”