The south side of the Hill's reflecting pool received a splash of color in more ways than one on Wednesday. Young, multicultural Hip Hop Caucus organizers poured out of their neon-colored tour bus that had taken them from Little Rock, Ark. to Washington D.C. in less than a week, holding signs and chanting, "Clean Energy Now!" to the beats of Biz Markie.

Led by Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., the 700,000 member-strong Hip Hop Caucus gained attention in 2004 with its national "Vote or Die" campaign and since then has teamed up with various celebrities to bring political awareness to its target demographic: urban African-American youth.

This year the Caucus is partnered with the Alliance for Climate Protection and taking a clean energy message to low-income areas, encouraging African-Americans to support clean energy policies -- for economic as well as environmental reasons.

"Comprehensive clean energy policies will help our communities and create a brighter future through solutions that will fight poverty and pollution at the same time," said Yearwood.

Also in attendance was EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, who echoed Yearwood: "We need clean energy because we need the jobs. Black leaders understand this is an issue for our communities."

Referencing a 16.5 percent black unemployment rate, Rep. André Carson, D-Ind., argued that the money currently being spent on bank bailouts and the Iraqi war would be more wisely directed elsewhere.

"If we just invest $200 billion in clean energy, we will create 2 million jobs in just two years," Carson said.

When asked about opposition from those in Congress who voted against green jobs bills such as the failed Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008, and those who find clean energy as a job creator to be a myth, Yearwood replied, "They shouldn't judge by how much we're spending on the front end, but by how much we're saving on the back end -- like high utility bills, pollution and jobs. It's like insurance to invest in clean energy."

Correction: Earlier versions of this post misquoted Rep. Carson's jobs projection.

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