Air-Traffic Control and the Future of Music Coalition are institutions that exist to help musicians to play a part in social justice, having assembled a web of people and resources that allow them to more cohesively and effectively collaborate with each other and with other social institutions.

Since 2006, the two organizations have been teaming up for “artist activism” retreats in New Orleans. The retreats give artists—some already known for their activism, such as Tom Morello, Mike Mills of R.E.M., and Boots Riley of the Coup—an opportunity to interact with and directly benefit New Orleans and our people in this post-Katrina and BP oil disaster city.