Screening of "Mikuba (Cobalt)" (EJ Film Fest @ Stanford)
Mikuba (Cobalt) - In the sweltering mines of Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mama Leonece grapples with powerful corporations over cobalt, a key resource for green energy. Amid dust and heat, she seeks guidance from her heritage to confront the brutal realities of this struggle.
Tuesday April 22nd, 2025 - 5-8pm
This screening will include free food, interactive activities, panel discussion with the filmmakers, and climate change conversations with members of the Stanford community.
Panelists:
Petna Ndaliko Katondolo - Mwalimu Ndaliko Katondolo (Petna), was born in Goma, DR Congo and is a filmmaker, educator, and an ancestral ecologist. His multi-genre artistic works are acclaimed for their decolonial Africanfuturistic style, which engages historical content to address contemporary sociopolitical and cultural issues. In 1994 he co- founded Maideni, an ecological youth movement. In 2000 he co-founded Yole!Africa and in 2005 he founded the Ishango Encounter (formerly known as Salaam Kivu International Film Festival). Ndaliko Katondolo teaches and consults regularly for international organizations, addressing social, ecological and political inequity among marginalized groups through culture and Art.
Maurice Carney - Maurice is a co-founder and Executive Director of the Friends of the Congo. He has worked with Congolese for over twenty-five years in their struggle for peace, justice and human dignity.
Mr. Carney possesses two bachelors degrees, a masters degree and is pursuing a Ph.D. in political science. He has worked with civic associations in West Africa providing training on research methodology and survey. He served as the interim Africa working group coordinator for Rev. Jesse Jackson when he served as Special Envoy to Africa. Mr. Carney has worked as a research analyst for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and as a research consultant for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
For decades Maurice has been advocating for the dignity and inclusion of the Congolese civil society in all efforts for peace, democracy, food sovereignty, and climate justice. He provides consultation to political leaders in the US, Canada, Latin America, Africa, the UN as well as to international NGOs and funders. Interviews with Maurice can be found in the New York Times, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Democracy Now, Pacifica Radio Network and a number of other media outlets.
Samuel Yagase - Samuel is a grassroots leader mobilizing rural communities for justice and dignity in the rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 1992, he co-founded GOVA – Group of Village Organizations for Autonomous Development. In 2022, Samuel and GOVA became co-founding members of the Basandja Congo Basin Coalition for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. GOVA formed as a collective initiative between the community, intellectuals, and traditional leaders for autonomy and self-determination after experiencing pain, disrespect, and broken promises with international aid organizations. Samuel works to promote dialogue and collaboration between the two medicines (Traditional and Modern) which strengthen the communities’ fight against many injustices (including traditional customs that discriminate against women) in a region where extractive industries continue to oppress and harm the local communities.
Samuel’s life has been dedicated to improving matters related to environmental racism, health, education, and local governance. He serves on the board of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund and is featured in the short film called ‘Mabele Na Biso’ (Our Land). Since the film was made in 2012, his region has been experiencing a dramatic increase in flooding due to the climate crisis, destroying health centers, schools and agriculture. Samuel is part of a collective call for governments, large NGOs, and multinational corporations to prioritize the wisdom of those on the frontlines. With the reality of the climate emergency and new global focus on the Congo’s ‘carbon bomb’ in the peatlands, Samuel hopes there will be a fast shifting of power so there can be true collaboration for climate solutions and resilience.
Dr. Dena Montague - Dr. Dena Montague is an Environmental Justice Lecturer at Stanford University and Executive Director of ÉnergieRich, an award winning emerging social justice engineering firm advancing energy justice by establishing local manufacturing of clean energy technology in West Africa. ÉnergieRich lives at the intersection of technology, clean energy production, innovation, democratized engineering education and sustainable development.
Her research focuses on energy justice through decentralized production; impacts of Global North clean energy transition on climate/environmental justice in the Global South; and environmental data justice.
Her research experience includes political economy and racial inequality in the U.S. and Europe, evaluating political and economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa and among the African Diaspora in Europe - Including causes of migration, social and economic integration in Europe. The intersection between natural resource management, democracy, economic development and human rights in West and Central Africa. US foreign policy strategy, including economic and military strategy vis-à-vis Sub-Saharan Africa.
This is the second screening event of the Environmental Justice Film Festival at Stanford University, an interactive film screening and community engagement series about climate change and environmental equity.
The EJFF is a four-part, interactive film screening and community engagement series about climate change and environmental equity.
Screenings will be held on various dates during Stanford University's Spring Quarter. More details including remaining dates, times, locations, and film info below!
As climate-related incidents escalate at an alarming rate, the urgency for positive climate action has never been more critical.
Climate-related risks are disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, including women, children, ethnic minorities, poor communities, migrants or displaced persons, older populations, and those with underlying health conditions.
Storytelling is a proven method used to simplify complex concepts and inspire people to action through emotional resonance. The Environmental Justice Film Festival is an opportunity to share powerful stories about climate change and mobilize the Stanford community toward sustainable environmental impact work.
The two primary goals of the screening series are Education and Community Engagement.
The four proposed screening events will: 1.) enlighten the community on how people from marginalized societies, across the globe, have responded to climate change and 2.) facilitate purposeful discussion and data gathering around people’s understanding of environmental challenges and capacity to create positive change.
Other Screenings in the Festival:
Inhabitants: An Indigenous Perspective - a feature documentary that follows five Native American Tribes across deserts, coastlines, forests, and prairies as they restore their traditional land management practices.
Tuesday April 15th, 2025 - 5-8pm
Life & Debt - A film about the impact of the International Monetary Fund's global economic policies on a developing nation's economy & agriculture. this film takes an unapologetic look at the new world order from the point of view of Jamaican workers, farmers and government officials.
Wednesday April 30th, 2025 - 4-7pm
Standing Above The Clouds - When a massive Thirty Meter Telescope is proposed to be built on Mauna Kea, an uprising of kiaʻi (protectors) in Hawaiʻi and around the world dedicate their lives to protecting the sacred mountain from further destruction.
Wednesday May 7th, 2025 - 5-8pm