Stanford University Urban Studies &
Urban Summer Fellowship
Student perspectives of community-engaged learning and research across the United States
Hello all, Momo here! Just as a refresher, this summer I have had the privilege of working for the Hip Hop Therapy Global Institute (HHTGI). In my first blog post, I introduced HHTGI as something that is very much still in process. While we are still working hard to grow our network in order to amplify the impact that hip hop can have on global youth wellbeing, I am pleased to report that we have officially launched three new online tools that help us with this mission! We have developed a Network Map, a Directory, and a Resource Library. All of these tools make it easy for people in the greater HHT (hip hop therapy) community to add themselves and their HHT work to a global network. We are now working to get the word out to as many HHT related people and organizations as possible, all around the world. It is our hope that by centralizing this information, it will increase our collective capacity to inspire positivity in the lives of youth through hip hop culture.
I have a couple weeks left for this summer, and I have learned so much from being able to work with my supervisor. It was really meaningful for me to help with building some of the foundations of HHTGI’s network. I learned a lot about being flexible with ideas, not getting too attached to one idea, being able to reorganize thoughts, and drawing inspiration from successful orgs and cases around us. It gave me the chance to familiarize myself with many online tools that help organizations maximize their resources. Especially for non-profit work, this becomes very important. I have been applying this knowledge to other things in my life, and thinking about ways that I can put this experience to use in the communities I am involved in. I have struggled in past years to visualize my role in the world of social justice—I’m not one to stand in the front of a rally, so I thought maybe visual art and/or music making could be my voice. Although art could still be a channel for me, I am now starting to think that maybe my diverse set of skills and experiences is my strength. In that way, I hope that I will be able to fill in where I am needed, and although I may not be an expert in any one thing, my many perspectives will hopefully come into use, especially in the collection and allocation of resources in community-driven organizations. I hope to continue to contribute to HHTGI in whatever ways I can. During the next academic year, I am currently planning to receive course units towards one of my majors (Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity) for dedicating several hours each week towards work for HHTGI. This plan is exciting to me for many reasons. For one, I was looking for good ways to earn some of my last credits in my major. Two, since HHTGI is in such a critical period of growth, it is important to me that I help with the more mundane tasks that are required for upkeep. Three, I feel that I have always struggled with reciprocity in my community engaged learning projects. This summer, I feel that I am finally able to give back to the organization, not just taking the experience for my own learning and then running away. I hope to continue to foster a relationship with HHTGI, advocate for culturally sensitive work in youth wellbeing, and stay in touch with my supervisor as a mentor
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AuthorThis blog is authored by Stanford University students engaged in summer fellowships through the Cardinal Quarter and the Program on Urban Studies. All writings and thoughts belong to the Fellows and do not represent the opinion of the sponsoring programs. Archives
September 2018
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