Math Raps and Other Issues in Hiphop Education

Professor Mark Anthony Neal and I joined Jean Feraca on Wisconsin Public Radio's Here on Earth show on September 23, 2009 to discuss teaching through hiphop. Alex Kajitani, a public school teacher from San Diego, began the discussion by describing his efforts to incorporate his rap musical productions as an educational tool in classrooms. Other math rappers called in, such as Mrs. D (aka Sharon Danziger) from St. Louis. Our conversation began as a discussion defending the use of hiphop as part of a culturally relevant curriculum and turned into a fun-filled cipher, as callers highlighted key concepts in hiphop education, from multiplication to multiple intelligences. Download the mp3 to listen.

Click here to view DEF PROF PICKS concerning hiphop and education.

eBLACK STUDIES WORKSHOP 2009!!!

The eBlack Studies Cooperative Research Network met for the second time in Savannah , Georgia at Savannah State University (SSU) under the outstanding leadership of Dr. Ronald Bailey and other SSU faculty. Some of the topics engaged include cyberorganizing, international distance learning collaborations, the use of information technologies in instructional and research design, and issues associated with archiving, library science and digitization initiatives. An important aspect of this convening is the representation of HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in the eBlack Studies movement. This eBlack Studies network first met in 2008 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with generous support from NCBS and the Ford Foundation. A link to the first workshop that includes the eBlack Studies Manifesto and reading resources may be found at http://eblackstudies.org/workshop. Below is a photograph from the 2008 eBlack Studies Workshop.

((photograph above by Dr. Ron Bailey on Dr. Jill Humphries's camera))

((photograph above facilitated by Dr. Abdul Akalimat))

Bboy Park 2009

This year Bboy Park is August 22-23. Bboy Park is an annual Hiphop festival that takes place in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan. It includes competitions that encompass all the fundamental elements of Hiphop culture including dance, lyricism, graffiti art, beat production and the "overstanding" element of KNOWLEDGE (a def prof fav). Check out this Hiphop Archive film by Bianca White and Def Prof (as Dawn Banks) for more info:


There'll be more highlights to come in September.... especially for those who thought it was only going on @ Fuji Rock ; )

DefProf on NBC Bay Area Vista

((Click Arrow or Picture to Play Video))



The part about accountability and action is around the time code of 5-5:30 minutes.
(See the "100 miles and Runnin" blog post for more info...)

100 Miles and Runnin'

President Barack Obama has been in office 100 days. Tonight he gave his address. Read the transcript and download the audio by clicking the image below.



Or watch it on the White House Youtube channel.


Many media pundits and public servants are giving out "grades" that resemble academic parameters of evaluation. Not surprisingly, many in the President's party have distributed evaluations of "A+" and representatives of the fractured Republican party have given more diverse evaluations ranging from "As" to "Incompletes" (for example, see this panel moderated by Gwen Ifill in St. Louis, Missouri).

While more conservative discussants seem to focus on spending and comparisons to Roosevelt's New Deal, more progressive evaluators are rightly criticizing the US's decision not to participate in the United Nations' Durban Review Conference in Geneva, April 20-24, 2009 (see this posting by the Green Party).

My 100-day assessment is that people must continue to make our government ACCOUNTABLE through sustained ACTION, which includes making informed decisions that best affect our collective well-being and equality. I said this on NBC Bay Area news before inauguration and I maintain that position.

(click the image and link to the blog post to watch the video)

As someone who participated in the 2001 UN WCAR, I am very disappointed in the US government's position regarding the Durban Review Conference.

There are petitions available to help voice this concern.

I am hopeful regarding the stimulus plan, but I am still collecting information and attempting to participate and voice concerns (see what Professor Abdul Akalimat posted concerning the plan's broadband aspects on the eBlack Studies listserv). There is more to come concerning my activities. Check out this NTIA site for now.

What are you doing?

Berkeley Hiphop Conference

Professors as well as undergraduate and graduate students who teach and research Hiphop studies gathered at UC Berkeley on April 18, 2009. In addition to exihibitions and performance, many conference papers were presented and discussed. Topics included issues concerning community-relevance, research methods, publication challenges and ethics, among others. There were over 80 attendees at this free conference on a warm sunny day in Berkeley, California. The participants reflected the "collective" aesthetic associated with Hiphop culture, which gave this conference a positive and memorable "vibration." My three-year old son even enjoyed the traditional conference format because the content presented and the passion of the presenters proved engaging.










-- Post From My iPhone

SexTech 2009

I'm on my way to holler at a scholar, Dr. Carla Stokes-- the Founder and Director of H.O.T.G.I.R.L.S., Inc.-- at the Sexuality and Technology Conference in downtown SF, March 22-23, 2009. SexTech '09 is an HIV/STI prevention conference that focuses on youth and technology.



Dr. Carla will unveil information about her organization's new campaigns and other fly science will be dropped. Hope to see you there; )

Unarmed 22 Yr Old Murdered in Oakland by Police?

What happens when unarmed, cuffed or otherwise subdued and submitting humans are murdered by the state that purports to protect and serve them? What happens when communities of children, peers and parents witness these humans being murdered in the public sphere, such as at a train station? What happens when these behaviors seem to follow a pattern or they are repeated in certain communities? Can community members experience repeated trauma by witnessing such violence to unarmed individuals? Who is safe? What is safe? What is justice?

Check out this short clip from the News:




Check out Davey D's interview with Attorney John Burris, who is noted for his work against police brutality on Breakdown FM:



What to do? Well, here is where theory and research might help us change policy. Check out Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt's website by clicking the description below:

http://www.stanford.edu/~eberhard/#policing: