While all events co-sponsored and produced under the Initiative have their own formal or informal assessment protocol, the following results were collected using an online tool sent out over various Center listservs during a 2-week period in the fall of 2008. The questions were sent to faculty, staff, students, and community partners and asked whether NYU should house a Hip-Hop and Pedagogy Initiative, as well as whether they had attended any of the Initiative events. Of 50 responses, all said, with a resounding “yes,” that there should be an Initiative, but for many different reasons. Provision of social identities was optional. The following is a representative sampling of that assessment data.
Student responses:
“I participated in the Hip Hop Theatre Lab last spring with NYU, and it was an essential part of my studies here. It was one of the only moments that I was able to see myself and my culture reflected in the curriculum. The Pedagogy Initiative is responsible for the Lab, and I thank them.”
-Crystal, junior, African-American/Caucasian
“As a part of the Hip Hop Theater Festival, there is a show entitled ‘Voices’ which features accomplished performers who read speeches delivered by oppressed or marginalized leaders throughout American history. When the speeches were read, I felt like I was actually part of their movement whether it be Civil Rights, Suffragists, Anti-War, etc. I hope that NYU can continue hosting this event because it really does have the power to change people's outlooks and lives.”
-Joshua, Junior, Black and Latin
“Attending the Voices Remix program has been my life's only encounter with Hip-Hop. It was also the one of the most moving events that I have been to in the past year. Honestly, I do not fully understand the hip-hop movement, but, but I do believe that our country is more fully beginning to recognize that not only WHAT we say matters, but also HOW we say it and that Hip Hop has/is/and will play any integral role in that.”
-Sarah, Graduate student, Steinhardt, rural, white Midwesterner
“Hip-hop now spans EVERY culture, regardless of ethnicity. It unites us all.” -Jabari, Senior “Hip-Hop Pedagogy…creates a new view of "activism" and opens up new outlets for people to be activists - art, writing, dance, song. The initiative also allows for Hip-Hop to be legitimized as a discipline and vehicle of social change.”
-Mark, Graduate student, Filipino-American
“As an RA I brought my residents to the poetry slam during Welcome Week and the break/s which were both a huge hit! I walked away with a great perspective and understanding and my freshmen residents really appreciated and enjoyed it and I think it helped start them on the right foot here at NYU.”
-Angelica, Senior
“I think seeing such events taking place on a campus like NYU, extremely white, extremely "elite" was a great experience because it allows students to expose themselves to different types of learning, learning that they otherwise would not encounter in the NYU bubble. Although I do not necessarily identify directly with hip-hop culture, I can certainly see the importance of understanding hip-hop culture in a society dominated by hip-hop images that have become, in some ways, misrepresentations of their origins.”
-Fernando, 2nd Year Graduate Student
Faculty & Administrator Responses:
“To me, VOICES... would make an exceptional diversity orientation program. It has to be one of the best multicultural events that I have attended in recent years that left me with one of the most profound understandings - but also the greatest number of unanswered questions. What was very powerful to me was not just the content and delivery on stage, but more importantly, the audience reaction and sense of communal agreement and awareness - a true feeling that we are all in it together.”
-administrator, Student Affairs
“I attended the Voices event. It was fabulous to see such great student attendance. There was a diverse group of students from across the university. The speeches were brought to life by the talented actors and spoke directly to the energy and passion that the students brought with them. I've also participated in the Urban Word conference over the last few years… since Hip-Hop mirrors the culture of the current generation, it is important that institutions recognize and acknowledge the phenomenon and study its relevance.”
-professor
“Many of today's university students see hip-hop as the primary cultural expression of their generation, but do not have the occasion to talk about it in an analytical way. I was only able to attend the Afro-Latino symposium at the Schomburg Center, and it was fabulous. I will be able to transport some of the content, and the speakers, to my classroom.”
- professor
“The Hip-Hop and Pedagogy Initiative has crossed academic and student affairs boundaries in presenting a series of programs and experiences that speak to the current generation of students attending our university. The diversity of venues, lecture, learning community establishment, poetry reading, interactive theatre, and trips through our local laboratory (NYC), has given a new voice to learn about the on-going challenge of difference among others (age, race, gender, orientation, and class). The approach is cutting edge and 'packaged' in a manner that is accessible for this generation of students.”
-administrator, Student Affairs
Community Partner responses:
“In fall 2008 Voices of a People's History of the United States had an opportunity to collaborate with the Hip Hop Theater Project and the NYU Center for Multicultural Education & Programs. We were consistently impressed with the creativity, dynamism, and professionalism of the Center team. It served as a model for the kind of work we would like to do on college campuses around the country, with a focus on empowering and involving students in creating artistic programming that can motivate a new generation to make their voices heard. The Center expanded our horizons and we left with valuable lessons we will carry into the future. We look forward to working with them again.”
-Anthony Arnove, Co-Author, Voices of a People's History of the United States. Seven Stories Press (2004)
"My experience working with the Center around their Hip-Hop Pedagogy Initiative is that the Center has tuned into a major cultural pulse on the campus of NYU. The folks at the Center understand intrinsically that Hip-Hop is more than just Rap music and it shows in the approach they've taken to building the initiative and its network of participants.”
-Clyde Valentin, Executive Director, Hip-Hop Theater Festival
“The Center for Multicultural Education Programs not only serves as a hub for the NYU community to access and engage the conversations and movements happening within hip-hop culture, but also serves as advocate and activist within the greater NYC grassroots nonprofit network. This type of institutional and educational support is invaluable to the many nonprofit leaders who are dedicated to youth development and social justice. “ -Michael Cirelli, Executive Director, Urban Word NYC As the Director of Education with the Hip Hop Theater Festival, I worked closely with The Center to design and implement the major partnership ….It is important that major universities continue to figure out ways to share resources, jointly program and co-curate events with community based organization - in the way the Center has managed to do through this Initiative.”
-Daphne Farganis, Director of Education, Hip-Hop Theater Festival
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Wednesday, December 2
5:00 PM: Graduate Students of Color Socials
Thursday, December 3
12:30 PM: Network of BLACK Men Meeting
12:30 PM: Making it in Media
Thursday, February 4
5:00 PM: Network of BLACK Men Meeting
Thursday, February 18
12:30 PM: Network of BLACK Men Meeting
CMEP is a unit of the Division of Student Affairs
60 Washington Square South - 806 | New York, NY 10012 | 212.998.4343
Copyright © New York University, 2007