ASA Sponsored Global Conference Impressive Day One 

Virtual Global Conference Attended by Hundreds from Around the World 

The first day of the ASA College sponsored virtual “Global Conference on HipHop Education: Empowering our Global Communities” was a true success. The conference, which is the product of a year-long effort by the HipHop Association of Advancement and Education (HHAAE.org), boasted nearly three hundred registered conference attendees who gathered virtually from around the globe. Participants and presenters representing such places as Cuba, Uganda, Switzerland, Canada, Tunisia, Germany, South Africa, China, the Netherlands, Morocco, Australia, Costa Rica, and Brasil, shared virtual spaces and real ideas about the future of education with ASA College staff, faculty, and students.  

One of the many highlights of the day was an unforgettable keynote address by Senator Kevin S. Parker. He traced the genesis of HipHop culture and music through his personal history as a lifelong Brooklyn resident, and helped the audience understand the many cultural currents that have led to the development of this global, music-connected culture. He shared anecdotes of his childhood crew – of carrying record crates to crosstown battles, memorizing lyrics, and eagerly awaiting the newest song, style, or move. He also invoked disco, the big band era, and African drum rhythms to emphasize HipHop’s lineage. Authentic and inspiring, his message was one of cultural wealth and yet uncharted possibilities.  

In addition to the keynote, there were several amazing presentations, including a well-attended session led by ASA College faculty, Derek Baylor and Christian Perticone. The pair discussed how the practices and values of HipHop, particularly those involving composition, collaboration and authenticity, can assist educators in designing innovative lessons that produce better student outcomes. By way of example, they shared a lesson designed to help English Language Learners hone their pronunciation skills. Other notable presentations of the day touched on helping educators develop culturally relevant programming for their communities, supporting students in their capacity to develop financial resilience, and understanding the myriad ways art educators can utilize HipHop visual arts in the classroom.  

Conference organizers, Dr. “Freeze” Iglesias, Monk Matthaeus, and MC Manny Faces fostered a wealth of knowledge, experience, and community on day one of the conference. Without a doubt, conference goers should look forward to the presentations and performances that have been scheduled over the rest of the week. The Global Conference on HipHop Education will continue with daily virtual offerings from February 3rd through February 9th.  

For a full daily schedule click here 

For information and instructions on registration click here