College: What is it About

COLLEGE: What is it about.....
(Choose: Moorehouse, Duke, Loyola Marymount, Gonzaga, Princeton, University of Mississippi, Spelman, George Washington University, University of Texas- El Paso, Harvard)
1. History of the School.
This answer will contain when the school was founded, was it all male/ female, was it only for white students initially, why was it formed?

2. Demographics.
a) # of students.
b) # of each ethnicity
c) % each echnicity is of total population
d) % by gender

3. Important Dates in the School History and description of why the date is important.

4. Watch Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhZpPEP5E7g
Answer Questions:
a. Historically Black colleges were a community solution to what issue?
b. What was the name of the legal decision that reinforced separate but (un)equal standards
between Black and White populations?
c. What are ways that communities preserve their customs and traditions nowadays despite society's attempts to prevent them?

SledgeHammer: Smash the Violence

Prompt:
Jay-Z says he has 99 problems If you had to list your type 5 problems what would they be?

Girl Got 99 Problems, Is Hip Hop One?
The article we will be examining today will be focusing on whether or not music (in this case, specifically Rap) plays a role in violence against women.
What lyrical examples does the article give of way that:

• Hip Hop talks about social issues in women’s life?
• Hip Hop explores sexual agency/ power?
• Hip Hop challenges stereotypes?

When should society interfere in lyrical freedom?

What are examples of lyrics that encourage violence against women?

Highlighted Handout as Group

1. Discuss the highlighted part of your handout. Speak about what you believe Audre Lorde is saying. Look at the part highlighted a separate color- what do these words or phrases mean?

2. As a group, create an image/ drawing that represents your highlighted phrase on the hand-out. Let it be a visual description of the words. Make sure to include the quote on the drawing.


End of Class Reflection (2 Paragraphs)
What are the ways Hip Hop plays a role in the way men view women and women view themselves? What also plays a role?

SledgeHammer: Smash the Silence!

Writing Prompt:

What is is that compels you to draw, create, write, dance your truth? What is inside you that refuses to be forced to be silent?

Definitions: COPY THESE. I will give you the definition.
Voice
Silence
Violence

Why Do We Write (COPY THESE into your note book).
1. Why is it important to believe that we matter?
2. Who is in your life that you matter to?
3. What matters to you?

Audre Lorde (Handout).
"I was going to die, if not sooner than later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you."

1. Discuss the highlighted part of your handout. Speak about what you believe Audre Lorde is saying. Look at the part highlighted a separate color- what do these words or phrases mean?

2. As a group, create an image/ drawing that represents your highlighted phrase on the hand-out. Let it be a visual description of the words. Make sure to include the quote on the drawing.
Queen GodIS (HandOut)
1. As demonstrated in the last section, underline/highlight key stanzas/ verses that impacted you most. Use at least three separate parts of the poem.

2. On a separate piece of paper, draw an image that represents your vision/ voice unspoken or the poem that we just read. Use at least two quotes or stanzas.

Is Love a Human Right?

Audre Lorde: Read Out loud in small groups of 3 or 4.

1) Open Up Microsoft Word.


2) Write the three paragraphs from the document that stood out most to you and why?

3) Why does Audre say "Your silence will not protect you?". Would you agree or disagree with this and why?

4) What are ways that Audre has been silenced in her life, according to the writing?

5) What are ways you have been silenced or kept silent? Give examples and be specific?

6) Why does Audre say it is important to speak, write, and be heard?

7. Email to Gonzales@A4ra.com

Is Love a Human Right?

Answer in Microsoft Word:
Define the following in your own words: (10 min)
Homophobia
Sexism
Hetero-sexism

Reflection (one paragraph): (5 min)
Do you feel the Hip Hop industry is open to rappers and m.c.'s who are gay, queer, or lesbian?
Why or why not?


Watch the following link: Hip Hop and Homophobia

a) What was the statement that Kanye West made that opened up a dialogue?
b) Why did you feel so many rappers were defensive to answer the statement?
c) Why do you feel so many people in the world are threatened or scared of two people loving one another who are of the same sex?
d) What is the danger of putting out hateful lyrics to a large audience?


Watch the Second Link: A Beginner's Guide to No HOMO
a) Where or why did the term "No Homo" originate?
b) What is the video blogger's opinion of the term?

Discussion (last 20 minutes)

Is Love a Human Right?

Today's lesson will be done in WORD and emailed......
Writing Prompt:
Why do you feel that 69% of African Americans and 50% of Raza voted YES to ban gay marriage through proposition 8?

LA Times: Prop 8 Click Here

1. What is the argument against the constitutionality of Prop 8?

2. What is the difference between making a revision of the Consitution and an amendment?

Keith Olbermann Click Here

1. When was the last year it was illegal for a Black person to marry a white person?
2. In how many states?
3. Why is that significant to history of President Elect Barack Obama?
4. What other laws limiting marriage did the United States have?

5. Research and find two laws that used to exist limiting marriage between people in the United States.
A.

B.

Discussion....

Email to Gonzales@a4ra.com

Towards a new beauty.. beyond the ballot.

Writing Prompt:
Describe where you were and what you felt when you found out Barack Obama had been elected the 44th president of the United States, and the 1st one ever who was a person of color?


1) Share Out (10 minutes

2) Watch the following Video
Click on Letter to History
(Excerpt… from video)
Dear History,
For too long have I pondered your meaning, memorized dates of battles, years of servitude, decades of injustice, named eras after movements, mourned the extinction of species, cursed founding fathers, worn vintage suits and cloaked myself with references of your hold on me.
I have walked through museums wondering how it is that greatness had lived and died all before my time. Parts of me feared becoming great because it seemed to include a price of death and a postmortem glory that my memory could never resurrect. I've stared at paintings dying to catch glimpses of the painter, closed my eyes to listen to songs that drunken ghosts dance to, and all the while I've fought to FREE the present to BECOME.

1. What was Saul William’s letter to history about?
2. How has history enslaved the present and held hostage the future?


Watch Nas's: "Black President":
1. How has the world changed since when Tupac wrote his rhyme?
2. How has Barack challenged what "they say"?


READ
There is an energy in the air. While the problems in our communities have not changed overnight, and many still struggle, live homeless, or are killed, there is a sense that times are changing. People are waking up, speaking out, moving forward, and demanding a world that meets their basic needs and rights.

Your ASSIGNMENT.. (If typed, Write in font size 12, times new roman)
Write your own letter with the folllowing idea in mind
a) A letter to History letting him know what you would like to lay to rest. It could be the history of your people, your gender, your sexuality; it could be your family history, your love history, or any combination of the previous. BE CREATIVE!

b) A Letter to Barack Obama. Let him know your feelings on yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Offer up ideas and hopes, even suggestions. Let him know that you do not expect him to change everything, but what YOU are willing to do. Also, hold him accountable. Many people offer promises but do not fufill them. What are issues that matter to you that you do NOT want him to fail on (funding, prisons, war... changes in community).

c) EMAIL to gonzales@a4ra,com