Much was discussed, debated and noted down yesterday. We are moving closer toward a UK #HipHopEd Manifesto, a collaborative enterprise that will drive, but not limit, our individual and collective work in Hip-Hop Education.
In the meantime, here are 10 thoughts I came away with after 6 hours of discussion that were so engaging nobody seemed to want to break for lunch!
- Hip-Hop Teachers are activists. We are offering alternative ways of educating and as such are 'rocking the boat'. There is a need to be excellent and to be able to point to evidence that substantiates our claims.
- HipHopEd is about building community. Relationships are key.
- HipHopEd is much more than doing hip-hop in educational sessions.
- Hip-Hop was created by people of colour. Whilst anyone can participate in hip-hop this fact should not be lost.
- Hip-Hop can be a context for education. But we must also examine the context in which hip-hop exists.
- HipHopEd may bridge the gaps between school, road and home identities. Often education systems construct barriers rather than bridges for these gaps.
- Cultural ownership and appropriation are ideas that hip-hop educators should explore with each other and their students.
- UK hip-hop educators need to consider what is particular about UK HipHopEd.
- We should be alert to how power operates in hip-hop and education and interrogate this.
- The DIY ethos of early hip-hop is alive amongst UK Hip-HopEd educators!
