Our mission is to foster a positive image of Hip Hop culture (cultural movement developed by Black/Latino youth in the 1970s) by providing free/low cost access to our programs. Armed with the belief that Hip Hop culture offers more enrichment to the youth than the mainstream, we use it to educate, empower and nurture the nation’s youngest citizens. We provide 7 programs for youth in the community that cover a variety of topics & skills related to the Hip Hop culture. These topics include literacy, dance, art, music, nutrition/culture related subjects. Locally, we served over 300+ youth ages 2-18 years old.
Our project will provide monthly workshops to Miami community at Wynwood. Our project will consist of 1 hour class session featuring our literacy program combined with an art, music, or dance program.
National Geographic recognizes Hip Hop as "the favorite youth culture" in which "justabout every country on the planet seems to have developed its own local rap scene.""CNN.com Jan. 15, 2001". By teaching the elements of Hip Hop culture to youth we can provide them with an authentic alternative to expression, art & wellness. A structured youth (under 12 years old) urban arts program is relatively new to art communities & there is no such program offered in Miami-Dade County, that we are aware of. Some issues we address are child obesity, self esteem, coping during stress and depression i.e. military families w/the stresses of deployments & transition. Local need to increase dance in the community by providing performing opportunities, training, mentoring/hiring of local dance artists.
We have been fortunate to partner with several local community organizations. Thus far, we partnered with History Miami Museum, Miami Light Project, Overtown Arts & Music Festival, the International ProAM Games & PATH Summer Academy. Our local sponsors are Adidas Miami, Scratch Academy, Los Tonitos Restuarant, Shots Miami & Raw Miami Entertainment.