Mic Crenshaw on connecting hip hop, spoken word, and anti-fascist activism
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mic crenshaw
PUGS: Hip Hop, Spoken Word, and Anti-Fascist Organizing? How are these things related?
To me it's not a stretch to see theses things as related because in a very real and personal way, these cultural, political, and artistic forces have shaped my life. I have spent the majority of my life using spoken word and hip hop lyricism as a professional emcee to ask questions to an audience that consumes my art. I ask these same questions to classrooms full of students in my city and across the U.S. as well as across the globe.
The questions I ask are related to the potential and capacity for us to create a more just society. In asking these questions I am taking history into consideration as we examine the scientific evidence of processes are at the root of the oppressive systems of dominant culture. What consciousness lies at the root of the attitudes of individuals and groups of individuals who are currently being mobilized toward fascism?
I want to look at the history of fascism in the U.S., Europe, and locally, in recent decades and of course currently. I want to explore the movements to confront, fight, and hopefully end fascism in our communities, historically and currently.
In April's Hip Hop, Spoken Word, and Anti-Fascist Organizing, we will explore how art plays a role in cultural and political movements. There is so much to explore! Let’s listen to powerful hip hop and poetry that isn’t afraid to express with clarity what politicians and media pundits fail to recognize. Let's learn some techniques for writing our own creative works that speak truth to power and inspire each other.