Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Finished Work!



We're pleased to showcase the final product of our collaborative Hip Hop Teen + Roots & Visions Special Edition for the Prospect.1 Biennial. Below are some images of the Magazine and Billboard production. Please take a look and let us know what your thoughts are!


The Hip Hop Teen + Roots & Visions Special Edition for the Prospect.1 Biennial
Featuring the following youth organizations.....

Ya-Ya (Young Aspirations/Young Artists)
2 Cent Entertainment
Blackstar
The Porch
Youthanasia
ISL (International School of Louisiana)
Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana
Re-Think New Orleans Schools
An Interview with Local Artist John Barnes
Positive Image Entertainment
Children of the Village Foundation
and Hip Hop Teen

.....................................

BILLBOARDS

1728 St. Claude @ Reynes (Lower 9th Ward)


The real CrimeStoppers Billboard located throughout New Orleans

Counter Crime Stoppers Billboard

An 8 year old African American youth looked up at the Crime Stoppers billboard and asked his grandmother, "Are all black men bad?"
The images presented in the Crime Stoppers billboards and the mass media, often portray negative images of young African American males. This counter billboard shows the 8 year old and others that all black men are not bad, and that in fact, the majority of African American males are leading positive, productive lives and contributing greatly to this city, state and nation.
Celebrate who we are! - Hip Hop Teen Magazine



2000 S. Claiborne @ St. Andrew (Border of Uptown Downtown)

Brotherhood

Black on black violence has reached epidemic proportions in communities across America. In this community and others, young people are targeted because they live in one neighborhood and visit or pass through another. Just recently, we learned about a talented young African American music artist who was beaten up at his school because he lived in a particular area and went to school in another. In New Orleans, our young men are sometimes challenged because they live in one ward or another or live uptown and happen to be caught downtown or vice versa. This billboard embodies the principal that we are brothers, the fist bump, which was created in the African American Community suggests love, respect and a togetherness that cannot be denied. The brotherhood billboard hopes to unite our entire community in a spirit of love, respect and brotherhood. - Hip Hop Teen Magazine




1728 St. Claude Ave. @ Annette St. (near 7th Ward)

What is Your Vision?

What is vision? Vision is to see ahead or imagine. Vision is the element that steers your life into direction.. Vision is equivalent to light. Without light, your focus is dark. If you can't state your vision, it is as if you are blind in life bother physically and mentally without control. When you engage your gift of vision, you liberate your consciousness, you can communicate to lift and suggest the direction you wish to go.




Chef Highway and Read Blvd (New Orleans East)

Question Your Stereotypes

Racial profiling is commonplace in communities across America. African American males are targeted and thought of as thugs and criminals because of the way they dress or the way they wear their hair. Martin Luther King once said that he dreamed of an Amercia where people were judged by the content of theri character not by the color of their skin, we would add "by the way they dress or wear their hair". Whether a young man is in street clothes or a suit and ties, he is the same man who has dreams, ideas and aspirations like any other man. Judge who we are not how we dress!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

BlackStar Billboard Project Meeting






BlackStar Billboard Project Meeting:
Algiers based BlackStar, is an innovative and highly personal youth program that works with High School youth. Members of BlackStar are designing a page for the Special Edition magazine as well as billboard. The issues this group is addressing relate to using daily skills to break down barriers and obtain what you desire. After much discussion the youth of black star decided to design a billboard that invites people to both question and vision.. we will keep you posted as their project develops!




Jay working on his design...



Notes from our first meeting...





BlackStar
Tiff, Baakir and Jay

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Hip Hop Teen Brainstorming Session

After much planning and excitement, we met with Hip-Hop Teen at their studio space on North Broad. The session consisted of brainstorming ideas for the Hip Hop Teen + Prospect.1 Special Edition, as well as the Billboard Project. The youth were engaged, insightful, and excited about the public art project that promises to be a huge success.

Our first meeting with Hip Hop Teen consisted of a rich, honest and powerful group conversation that surmounted in complete consensus for a series of 4 billboards addressing 4 essential community needs. Content generated in the discussion explored the urgency for social awareness and change on important topics such as vision and self love, brotherhood vs. turf wars, stereotypes and racial profiling, and youth movement makers (a direct counter action to the Crime Stopper billboards). A map of billboard locations as well as process documentation will be included in the Special Edition. Below are some photos of the brainstorming session. Images of the billboard project will be coming soon!



A preview of the Hip Hop Teen legacy - a thriving youth generated publication




The introduction




Hip-Hop Teens and their mom sharing in the dialogue of important issues..




thinking deeply about the best way to approach the urgency..




contributing with honest reflections of what is not working and how we can send a positive message...



ET holding the four hour discussion down with visuals..




The Hip-Hop Teen Recording Studio.. they got it going on..


The Porch Day 4 - The Front Porch Sessions

Porch Photos and Youth Visions

This project was inspired by the importance of the "front porch" as holding a culturally significant space for community dialogue in New Orleans. Youth involved in this workshop were asked to make a statement and create a dialogue with viewers of the Hip Hop Teen + Prospect.1 Special Edition Magazine about important needs in the process of rebuilding their community. These are a selection of photos taken in front of their homes.


The Porch




Toy "Kids Rising Above The Influence of Drugs"




Jamaika "More Room For Me"




Raquel "More Schools"




Taylor - "Drug Free"




Shaun "More Money"




Samantha "More Famous People From New Orleans"




Raymond "More Parks"




Michelle "More Respect"




Raychelle "More Peace, Love and Princesses"




Jamaika "More Love"




"To Regroup Ourselves"




The group tellin' it! 

Saturday, September 27, 2008

The International School - "Where I'm From" Writing Workshop


round opening discussion

On Tuesday, September 23rd, we returned to ISL to lead a writing workshop with one of their 7th grade English classes. After listening to the Digable Planets hip-hop song, "Where I'm From", students were led on a sensory exorcise to explore the unique attributes of their ideal New Orleans future neighborhood though descriptive languages. The students then wrote their hip-hop/poetry piece about their neighborhood to be featured, in part, in the Hip-Hop Teen, Prospect.1 Special Edition. Here's some photos of the workshop......versions of the hip-hop songs may be coming soon!


reading the words.. following the song..




sharing opinions..
and working on their own..




thinking deeply..




collecting thoughts..





Sharing ideas...


get it down..



help to build friendships..


and community.

Friday, September 26, 2008

The Porch Day 3 - tell us your vision?

After a passionate brainstorming of dreams, improvements, desires and requests that students would like to see in their neighborhoods, they participated in a mock documentary in which the reporter (wearing the hat) asked imaginary characters what they would like to see more of in their neighborhoods.


What do you want more of in your community.....?
More parks, money, safe places for kids, children rising above the influence of drugs, more money for our community....


More princesses, queens and mothers, more respect, more peace, more drug free zones



More famous people from New Orleans, more respect and appreciation, more health centers for people with diabetes, more schools....


Ready, Set, Action!...

Jamaica learning the camera..

Jamaica and Samantha, our star reporters


Toy, Teachin' his skillz



strong with the camera..



Samantha the reporter and Toy the business manager make a deal for the future..