“Now that we know what we know, we take responsibility together”
Collective responsibility
Rolling Loud Rotterdam launched a campaign to mark the start of the slavery commemoration year. The campaign invites the community to reflect, speak, and act. It connects history with present choices and calls for shared responsibility. The focus is on action through awareness. Youth are placed at the center of this effort, not as observers but as drivers of change. On July 1, the event signaled the start of a year of reflection on slavery and its impact. The campaign used the Rolling Loud platform to open space for voices and stories. It moved from memory toward learning and response. It encouraged the community to face the past, share experiences, and grow through conversation.
Message
Now that we know what we know, we take responsibility together.
Narrative
The video follows a young man with chains on his arms and legs. These chains represent the past of slavery. He walks to a goldsmith and exchanges them for a piece of jewellery. The shackle, the shackle holds meaning tied to the history of slavery. It refers to the time when slaves were held in chains. By wearing this form as jewelry, people reclaim the pain of the past and turn the symbol of control into a sign of strength, memory, and self. After this moment, he encounters his ancestors. They remind him that the history of slavery is part of his story, no matter his age or current life. They tell him to carry this knowledge, to remember what happened, and to stay aware of what he has today and what shapes him. The video ends with a sense of presence. The past is not gone. Its effects are still here. The story invites the viewer to carry memory and act with awareness.
Execution
The campaign was rolled out through short films, social media, and live sessions during the festival. Each element focused on the move from silence to voice, from memory to shared action.