Supplemental Materials for Say Word! > Hip Hop Activist and Educational Organizations and Programs
H2Ed Center/ Hip-Hop Association
http://h2edinitiative.blogspot.com/
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/
metrocenter/hiphopeducation/
H2Ed [Hip-Hop Education] is an education initiative that advocates for education alteration
and supports educators using Hip-Hop culture to reach youth by combining a creative mix of
standard educational formats and Hip-Hop pedagogy.
Words, Beats and Life
www.wblinc.org
Words Beats and Life's goal is to use Hip Hop as a vehicle for individual and community
transformation through Hip Hop conferences, teach-ins and their Urban Arts Academy program.
Temple Of Hip-Hop
www.templeofhiphop.org/
Founded by KRS-One, "the Temple Of Hiphop is an international ministry, archive, school
and society (M.A.S.S.) movement that...promotes and preserves Hiphop's accumulated
historical/cultural/spiritual wisdom for the purpose of empowering the Hiphoppa and guiding
the Hiphop nation."
Zulu Nation
www.zulunation.com
The Universal Zulu Nation is an international hip hop awareness group formed and headed by
Hip Hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa.
Hip-Hop Education and Literacy Program
www.edlyrics.com
"H.E.L.P., or the Hip Hop Educational Literacy Program, offers cutting edge supplemental
reading workbooks developed around the lyrics of popular Hip Hop songs in order to provide
culturally responsive teaching materials that motivate students to read and improve literacy
skills."
The Hip-Hop Archive at Harvard University
www.hiphoparchive.org/
"The Hiphop Archive organizes and develops collections, initiates and participates in research activities,
sponsors events and acquires material culture associated with Hiphop in the U.S. and
throughout the world."
International Association for Hip-Hop Education
www.iahhe.org
The International Association for Hip-Hop Education "initiates programs which nurture and
promote the understanding and appreciation of Hip Hop and its heritage by providing resources to educators regarding
curricula, aesthetics and performance... and organizing clinics, festivals and symposia at
national and international levels."
Hip-Hop Congress
www.hiphopcongress.com
"The Hip Hop Congress provides the Hip Hop Generation and the Post Hip Hop Generation with the tools,
resources and opportunities to make social, economic and political change on a local,
regional and national level."
First Wave UW Madison
http://omai.wisc.edu
"The First Wave Spoken Word and Hip Hop Arts Learning Community is a cutting-edge multicultural artistic program
for incoming students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison"
The Living Word Project
www.livingwordproject.org
"The Living Word Project (LWP) is the resident theater company of Youth Speaks, committed to producing
literary performance... [that is] aesthetically urban, pedagogically Freirean, and derives
personal performed narratives out of interdisciplinary collaboration."
Califest
www.ucira.ucsb.edu/
califest-hip-hop-theatre-festival/
"Califest Hip-Hop Theatre Festival is a celebration of hip-hop culture through the convergence
of elements of hip-hop culture and theatre creating uniquely vibrant dynamic and innovative
voice in both theatre and the hip-hop communities."
Hip Hip Theater Festival
www.hhtf.org
Hip Hop Theater Festival (HHTF) is a showcase for performing art works. "The ongoing goal of HHTF is to elevate Hip-Hop theater
into a widely recognized genre by empowering artists to develop new works and build
coalitions with artists and institutions around the world."
Urban Word NYC
www.urbanwordnyc.org
"Urban Word NYC presents literary arts education and youth development programs in the areas of creative writing,
journalism, college prep, literature and hip-hop."
Youth Speaks
www.youthspeaks.org
Youth Speaks uses a critical, youth-centered pedagogical approach to offering programs in the areas of poetry,
spoken word, youth development and civic engagement, with a commitment to young people's
self-empowerment and their intellectual and artistic development.
Def Poetry Jam and Def Poetry Jam on Broadway
DPJ is a television series on HBO produced by Russell Simmons that features performances by well-known spoken word
artists, slam champions and up-and-coming poets. Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, produced by
Russell Simmons and Stan Lathan, was a live theater show featuring nine spoken word
artists and a DJ.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
www.myosf.org
The Oregan Shakespeare Festival's Nexthetics program explores the intersection of Hip Hop and classical theatre by bringing
together expert practitioners with company members and community based performers through
lectures, workshops, intensives, performances, and spoken word events.
Universes
www.universesonstage.com
Universes is a National / International ensemble Company of multi-disciplined writers and performers who
fuse Poetry, Theater, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Politics, Down Home Blues and Spanish Boleros to
create moving, challenging and entertaining theatrical works.
Hip Hop Theatre Initiative
www.hhti.org
HHTI was founded by Daniel Banks with his students in the Department of Undergraduate
Drama at Tisch School of the Arts, NYU, to: 1) integrate the rigors of theatre training
and making with the performance elements and politics of the youth-driven, grassroots,
activist culture of Hip Hop; and 2) train participants to lead arts-based workshops and to
facilitate dialogue about the social issues pertaining to Hip Hop.
The Hip Hop Re:Education Project
www.reeducate.org
The Hip Hop Re:Education Project is a community-based arts organization that uses Hip Hop culture to inspire and
transform communities, engage marginalized and disaffected youth, and improve youth
motivation and achievement.
The Hip-Hop Project
www.thehiphopproject.org
The Hip Hop Project is an award winning arts-based education organization that engages and empowers
the voice of young people through innovative programming, multimedia activism, mentorship
and community service projects.
Nomadic Wax
www.nomadicwax.com
"Nomadic Wax is a fair-trade international record label, as well as a film, music, and
educational events production company, specializing in hip hop and underground music from
around the globe."
The Manifesto (Canada)
www.themanifesto.ca
"Manifesto Community Projects is working to unite, energize, support and celebrate Toronto's vibrant and
diverse music and arts community and find innovative ways of working together towards
common goals." They are the producers of Canada's largest annual Hip-Hop festival.
Jonzi D
http://www.jonzi-d.co.uk
Jonzi D is an emcee, poet, and dancer that has been actively involved in British Hip Hop culture since the
early eighties. Two of his biggest projects include Breakin' Convention, a dance theater
festival, and Open Art Surgery, a showcase of new Hip Hop theater work.
Breakin' Convention Festival (UK)
http://www.breakinconvention.com/
An international festival of Hip Hop dance theater in the UK.
Recontres de la Villette (France)
http://www.rencontresvillette.com/
Recontres de la Villette is a two week Hip Hop festival in France featuring international
Hip Hop dance, theater, concerts, DJ performances, and dialogue.
Kompany Malakhi/Kwesi Johnson (UK)
http://www.kompanymalakhi.com/
Kompany Malakhi is a physical theater company based in the UK under artistic direction of Kwesi
Johnson. They create movement-based work that combines contemporary and Hip Hop dances,
physical theatre, and extreme sport along with other mediums such as spoken word, text and
film.
Breaking Cycles, Benji Reid (UK)
http://www.breakingcycles.co.uk/
Breaking Cycles is a theater company "committed to the development of
Physical Theatre, combining music, movement and the language of body popping with the
theatricality of text and movement theatre."