Hip Hop Congress

ImanCentral June Cafe

BenFlowz on Hip Hop Official

Shouts to Daylan

Hip Hop Icon or Bearer of a Legacy – Tupac Shakur [ThugLifeArmy]

June 16th is the birthday of hip hop icon Tupac Amaru Shakur. His life cut short in 1996 by senseless violence. His murder remains to this day is unsolved.

The ‘testimony’ of hip hop icon Tupac Shakur (2Pac) is written and there is nothing he can add to what he has left us. Tupac is dead. There will be no new oration from one of the masters of words or no new contentious tracks to make headlines. What we have from him is what we have and we must come to grips with that.

In his life Tupac touched many people. He understood the world around him and was quick to point out the flaws and the weaknesses of the government and society. He understood the power of the mic and the power the man holding that mic could brandish; not only in the hip hop culture but in all society.

Tupac has written his last poem, his last rhyme and has given his last opinion of problems in the urban community. As far as hip hop goes: Tupac is gone. But his greatest and strongest points are not those of a hip hop artist, a wild gangsta rapper associated with powerful Death Row Records and Marion ‘Suge’ Knight; his strongest point was that he was in a position to ‘make a change’ and to point out the problems; and most likely those values had something to do with his death; like many other social activist before him.

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The Official Launch – Join the Urban Teacher Network (UTN)!

please pass on to all teachers you know!!!!

Thanks

This idea has been months in the making and we’re finally ready to launch the UTN over the summer. The UTN will be a major project of Hip Hop Congress’ Education Initiative. Its purpose is to reach out directly to those that work and mentor our youth. We want to support their efforts, build networks, share curriculum ideas and resources, and organize ways to better serve our communities needs.

Teachers have many tough issues to deal with while trying to educate and elevate today’s youth in this oppressive structure. The truth is the school system in many ways maintains the status quo structure of injustice and inequality. Teachers and even many administrators work hard to change that but often find themselves penalized for thinking outside of the box and being more relevant to their students’ lives. One recent example of a talented and dedicated teacher who was targeted for teaching a culturally relevant curriculum (using the Autobiography of Malcolm X) is Ms. Salazar of Jordan High, Watts, CA. Ms. Salazar’s contract is not being renewed but her students are fighting for her future at the school and their rights to a relevant and empowering education. She has taught them to learn their histories and love themselves as illustrated in this video.

VIDEO: FIRE IN WATTS: Jordan Students Rise for Ms. Salazar

The UTN hopes to organize and support teachers like Ms. Salazar and others who dedicate their lives to literally saving our future. The UTN is also interested in educating and mentoring our youth in more creative and relevant (and less restrictive) ways to most effectively serve their needs. To that end, we are promoting an urban arts education curriculum to bring to schools, juvenile centers and after school programs. We also plan to organize UTN events for teachers and students outside of the classroom in less restrictive spaces to learn, live and grow through experiences in community based outings.

I will be the primary contact for the UTN.

“Please email me at UTN@hiphopcongress.com to request an
application (data form) and we will reach out to you promptly!”

…and again, please pass on to all teachers you know!!!!

Thanks

take care,
tina
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Kristine Wright, Ph.D.
Sociology & African American Studies
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Visit my blo g:
http://riseuphiphopnation.blogspot.com/