**Uniting for Tomorrow: Gassie Dread and Empress Maria Urge Youth to Lead the Charge Against Climate Change**

**In a musical rallying cry, Gassie Dread teams up with Empress Maria to inspire young people to become guardians of the planet, advocating for unity in the face of climate challenges.**

In a poignant moment merging music and activism, Gassie Dread, alongside Empress Maria, delivers an important message to the youth of Antigua: “Put it down.” These words serve as a powerful reminder that while music can wield significant influence, it can also act as a force for peace and unity in a world grappling with pressing challenges like climate change and poverty.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne stands with them, emphasizing that the greatest struggle is not against one another but against the foundational issues of environmental degradation and system inequality that disproportionately burden small island nations like Antigua. The call to action is clear: young people must rise to the occasion.

“Protect the earth. Protect each other. Build a future where Antigua leads by example,” Gassie urges. Their song serves as both instrument and instrumentality, enveloping listeners in a message tethered to hope and radical transformation: “Put it down. Pick up the future.”

This plea extends far beyond the symbolic gestures; it asks the youth to abandon violence, division, and hatred. In essence, it invites them to choose love and solidarity over the chaos that threatens to tear communities apart. As the echo of their harmonies fills the air, Gassie Dread and Empress Maria set a pathway illuminated by the possibility of a more harmonious and environmentally sound future.