From Oppression To Liberation: Rbg Style

[RBG Street Scholar]

"This is the Hard Copy Learners Manual Intro"

FROM OPPRESSION TO LIBERATION:
RBG STYLE

RBG STREET SCHOLARS THINK TANK: A THEMATIC OVERVIEW

EDUCATORS AND CIVIC LEADERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY WHO WANT TO HISTORO-CULTURALLY, SOCIO-POLITICALLY AND PSYCHO-EDUCATIONALLY ENGAGE AND EXCHANGE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD SEE “HIP HOP/RAP CULTURE” AS A FRUITFUL AVENUE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS.

ALTHOUGH THE HIP HOP/RAP SUB-CULTURE IS WIDE SPREAD, PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO URBAN BLACK AND BROWN YOUTH, SUCH A ROAD IS WEIGHTED DOWN WITH LANDMINES; GIVEN THE CONTROVERSIAL LYRICS OF SO CALLED GANGSTA RAP, THAT TEND TO SENSATIONALIZE VIOLENCE, CRIME AND SEX AND RAP MUSIC VIDEOS THAT DEPICT WOMEN AS SEX TOYS. NEVERTHELESS, AS AN EDUCATOR INTENT ON THIS PATH, THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN FOR ME TO FORMULATE TEACHING/LEARNING STRATEGIES THAT USE HIP HOP/RAP TO FOSTER YOUNG BROTHERS AND SISTERS INTEREST IN AND ENGAGEMENT WITH COMPUTER LITERACY AND PROFICENCY, BASIC EDUCATION SKILLS AND AN INTEGRATED UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES THAT IMPACT THEM AS INDIVIDUALS, MEMBERS OF AFRIKAN AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THIS NEW USE OF HIP HOP/RAP TO FACILITATE SERIOUS STUDY IS A SHARP DEPARTURE FROM THE TRADITIONAL EUROCENTRIC APPROACHES TO “EDUCATING” STUDENTS OF COLOR. THUS, WE MUST FOREWARN THE PERSPECTIVE STUDENT; “THIS SCHOOL DOES NOT SERVE TO JUSTIFY THE STATUS QUO AND / OR MAINTAIN SOCIAL CONTROL. RATHER, BY DEMONSTRATING THAT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR AFRIKAN PEOPLE STRAPPED WITH KNOWLEDGE OF SELF, BASED ON THE WIDE STRIDES ALREADY TAKEN BY OUR ANCESTRAL AND ELDER SCHOLASTIC GIANTS, IT IS AN INSTRUMENT FOR LIBERATING SOCIAL CHANGE AND ‘NEW’ AFRIKAN CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT,”(“FUNCTIONAL MELANINIZATION”). BY SERIOUSLY STUDYING OUT OF THESE CLASSROOMS THE RESULT WILL BE NOTHING SHORT OF AFRIKAN SELF AND COLLECTIVE RESCUE, RESTORATION AND TRANSFORMATION. YOUR MIND (BRAIN CIRCUITRY /INTERCONNECTEDNESS) WILL RADICALLY CHANGE THE VERY MECHANISM OF HOW IT WORKS.

WITH STRICK ATTENTION TO DEVELOPING OUR STUDENT’S BASIC EDUCATION SKILLS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, SUITABLE FOR ONE TO CONFIDENTLY SIT FOR HIGH STAKE EXAMS, WE SIMUTANEOUSLY ADVANCE THE PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL HEALING AND SPIRITUAL UPLIFTMENT OF OUR PEOPLE BY PROVIDING KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND OVERSTANDING OF THE HISTORO-CULTURAL, SOCIO-POLITICAL AND PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF AFRICANS IN AMERICA IN AWAY THAT RADICALLY REAPPRAISES EDUCATION FROM THE PAINED AND ANGRY PERSPECTIVE OF THE OPPRESSED BLACK COMMUNITY.

WITH THE PRESENT DAY HIGH RATES OF BLACK ON BLACK HOMICIDE, SUICIDE, AND IMPRISONMENT AND A RISE IN SINGLE-PARENT HOMES, RAMPANT POLICE BRUTALITY, UNPRECEDENTED UNEMPLOYMENT, AND BLACKS USE OF POPULAR (ENEMY) CULTURE (THROUGH MUSIC, VIDEO GAMES AND POPULAR MOVIES) TO CELEBRATE "ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM, IGNORANCE, IRRESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD, DRUNKENNESS, DOPE DEALING, WEED SMOKING, COCAINE, X-PILLS, LOOSE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND CRIMINAL LIFESTYLES/THUGGISM"; WE HAVE CHOSE TO DESIGN A CURRICULUM THAT, RATHER THAN GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE ENTERTAINMENT / BLACKPLOTATION ASPECTS OF HIP HOP/RAP, WILL USE HIP HOP/RAP WITHIN A HISTORO-CULTURAL, SOCIO-POLITICAL AND PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL FRAMEWORK TO ADDRESS THESE VARIOUS DEATH WALKS FORTHRIGHTLY. OUR NEW METHODOLOGICAL STYLE IS INTENDED TO GET OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BEGIN TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT THEMSELVES, THEIR WORLD AND THEIR ROLE AS PEOPLE OF AFRIKAN DESCENT.
THE WORK IS A COMPREHENSIVE (BUT ONLY A CORE FRAMEWORK) SURVEY OF SUBJECTS AND TOPICS THAT HAVE CONFRONTED AFRIKANS IN AMERICA THROUGHOUT OUR 246 YEARS OF CHATTEL SLAVERY, 100 YEARS OF APARTHIED AND ONLY “ONE GENERATION OF FREEDOM” HERE IN AMERICA. I LIKE TO DESCRIBE THE SCHOOL AS A “CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING COMMUNIVERSITY”. FROM OUR RESEARCH, WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE IDEA OF SANKOFA, WHICH MEANS "WE MUST GO BACK AND RECLAIM OUR PAST SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD; SO WE UNDERSTAND WHY AND HOW WE CAME TO BE WHO WE ARE TODAY", REALLY ENCOMPASSES THE WHOLE AFRIKAN-CENTERED IDEAL. NONETHELESS, AS THIS IS A WORK IN EVOLUTION AND ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE CHOSEN TO FOCUS OUR TEACHING/LEARNING JOURNEY MOST DIRECTLY ON THE PAST 45 YEARS OF OUR STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS—THE THEME “THE MORE THE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THINGS STAY THE SAME, WE NEED A REVOLUTION, THE SYSTEM AIN’T GONA CHANGE UNLESS WE MAKE IT CHANGE”. THE CONTENT AND CHARACTER OF THE CURRICULUM IS AFRIKAN-CENTERED AND THE GOAL IS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN PERSUIT OF Black Power . WE TEASE OUT THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND MORAL IMPARATIVES OF Black Power IN THE 21ST CENTURY BY ZOOMING IN ON TWO POVITAL QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR COURSE OF STUDY “WHAT IS BLACK OPPRESSION IN AMERICA AND WHAT IS LIBERATION.”

BLACK OPPRESSION: BORN IN THE U.S.A.

CURRENTLY, SOME 70 PERCENT OF THE 2 MILLION PEOPLE IN U.S. JAILS, PRISONS AND DETENTION CENTERS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR; APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN. WITH THE HIGHEST INCARCERATION RATE IN THE INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD, THE UNITED STATES IS ONE OF THE FEW DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WITH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND ONE OF A FEW DEMOCRATIC NATIONS (UP UNTIL THIS YEAR, 2005) TO EXECUTE MINORS. 5.1 MILLION PEOPLE ARE UNDER CORRECTIONAL CONTROL IN THE U.S. WE ARE OFFERING THIS SCHOOL TO OUR PEOPLE IN THE INTEREST OF HABILITATION.

ONE MAN'S SOLUTION

THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR OUR HIP-HOP / RAP GENERATION THAT CONTAINS KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND OVERSTANDING THEY CAN RESPECTFULLY CALL REAL EDUCATION FOR THE BLACK MAN/WOMAN IN THE HELLS OF 21ST CENTURY AMERICA.THIS IS TO SAY, THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN DESIGNED SO AS TO ENABLE US TO CREATE JOBS FOR OURSELVES BASED ON THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES PLAGUING OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. STUDIES ARE DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN TWO DISTANT BUT INTERCONNECTED PHASES.

IN PHASE I THE LEARNER WILL ENGAGE THE CORE CURRICULUM— SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THESE FOUNDATIONAL STUDIES IS A PRE-REQUISITE FOR ENTRY INTO PHASE II STUDIES.

IN PHASE II THE SCHOOL BECOMES A COMPANION TO ALL BLACK, BROWN AND RED YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT THAT THINK THEY MAY WANTS TO BECOME A COMPUTER SOFTWARE DEVELOPER/ PROGRAMMER, WEB MASTER, ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELOR, BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIST/ RESEARCHER, SCHOOL TEACHER, MEDICAL DOCTOR OR PARAPROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

WHETHER ENROLLED IN RBG STREET SCHOLARS THINK TANK PROPER (A STREET SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE) OR ATTENDING ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE, RBG WILL BE YOU ACADEMIC SUPPORT SYSTEM.

RBG STREET SCHOLARS THINK TANK TAKES PRIDE IN BLURRING THE LINE BETWEEN URBAN YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE IN TRADITIONAL COLLEGES. WE TAKE PRIDE IN EDUCATING STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND THUS, A MAJOR THURST OF THE SCHOOL IS TO MAKE NULL AND VOID THE REPRESSIVE TRICKNOLOGY OF THE “THUGGISM-DOPE GAME-PROBATION-PAROLE-PRISON WAREHOUSING-SLAVERY BACK IN EFFCT COG”.

NOTHING IN LIFE IS TRULY OBJECTIVE, SO DON’T GET THAT SCIENTIFIC METHOD, WHITE FOLK B.S., TWISTED. THIS SCHOOL IS ABOUT MY JOURNEY; AND MINES IS THE JOURNEY OF THE OPPRESSED, TAUGHT WITH STRICK ATTENTION TO SCHOLARSHIP AND THOROUGHNESS, STREET SCHOLAR STYLE.
THIS STORY, THIS CREATION, THIS SCHOOL IS ABOUT MY STRUGGLE AND THE PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE ME. IT REFLECTS WHO I AM AND HOW I LIVE AND HAVE LIVED. A GHETTO BORN AND BREAD, DRUG INFESTED AND VIOLENCE INFECTED NEWARK, NEW JERSEY ***** (NOT ****** / NEVER IGNORANT GETTING GOALS ACCOMPLISHED) THAT HAS ABSORBED THE LESSONS OF OUR ELDERS AND ANCESTORS AND THUS, RECONCILE MY GIFTS WITH THE MOST HIGH TO CULIMINATE IN THIS EDUCATIONAL OUTLINE.

BUT, NO MAN IS AN ISLAND, GIL SCOTT HERON SAY “ANI’T NO SUCH THING AS SUPERMAN.THEY SAY BLACK PEOPLE CAN’T UNITE AND I SAY THEY’RE A LIE. THAT IS WHY RBG’S MARCHING ORDER AND GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS “ONE PEOPLE, ONE LUV, ONE STRUGGLE, ONE DESTINY AND ALL IN THE SAME GAME”. I BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST THING WE MUST DO TO BECOME A UNIFIED COLLECTIVE IS SEE OURSELVES AS SUCH. A PICTURE IS WORTH MORE THAT A THOUSAND WORDS AND THE REVOLUTION IS IN THE MUSIC. THIS IS WHY OUR SCHOOL IS DRIVEN BY RBG STREET SCHOLARS RADIO AND TV. THUS, MY CHALLENGE AND HUMBLE APPEAL TO ALL TRUE HIP-HOP HEADZ, SCHOLARS, EDUCATORS, ENTERTAINERS, ACTIVIST ETC. DEPICTED IN THIS WORK IS AS FOLLOWS “THIS IS A UNIVERSITY/ AFRIKAN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY IN EVOLUTION, THE INFORMATION YOU PHOTO BRINGS WHEN ONE CLICKS ON YOU IS NOT WRITTEN IN STONE AND THEREFORE I WELCOME YOUR CONTRIBUTION (WORDS AND DEEDS) FOR INTEGRATION INTO THE CURRICULUM—THIS IS OUR SCHOOL IN THE MAKING---THE PANTHERS USE TO SAY “YOU’RE EITHER PART OF THE SOLUTION OR THE PROBLEM.”

FINNALY, PLEASE LET ME BE CLEAR, THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS SCHOOL IS NOT MASTERY OVER OPPRESSION. SUCH A GOAL, EVEN IF ACCOMPLISHED TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT, WOULD ONLY LAND AFRIKAN PEOPLE IN A VACUUM. RATHER, THE PREEMINENT GOAL OF THE RBG STREET SCHOLARS THINK TANK’S CORE CURRICULUM IS SELF-MASTERY BY WAY OF AFRIKAN-CENTERED CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECURING Black Power . NONETHELESS, THIS GOAL MANDATES THE ACTIVE NEUTRALIZATION OF ALL OPPRESSIVE YOKES WITHIN AND WITHOUT THE AFRIKAN SELF AND COLLECTIVE. GIVEN THAT WE ALL ARE DECENDENTS OF A PEOPLE THAT WERE TAKEN THROUGH THE EUROPEAN’S “EVIL GENIUS” THREE STEP PROCESS OF DERACINATION, I.E. DEAFRIKANIZATION, DEHUMANIZATION AND INFERIORTIZATION, THE INDIVIDUAL SEARCH FOR SECURITY UNDER OUR PRESENT CONDITION AND THE QUEST FOR PERSONAL HARMONY AND PRIVATE SUCCESS AT THE COST OF BETRAYING OUR COLLECTIVE ASPIRATIONS FOR SELF-DETERMINATION REQUIRES LITTLE COURAGE, VISION OR RISK. SUCH EFFORTS ACCEPT THE SOCIAL ORDER (DISORDER) AS IMMUTABLE. BUT, IN ORDER FOR AFRIKAN PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND, DEFINE AND DEVELOP IN OUR OWN IMAGE AND INTEREST; A NEW COURAGE, NEW VISION, NEW CONSCIOUSNESS, COMMITMENT AND CONDUCT IS REQUIRED. THE DEHUMANIZING ENEMY WITHOUT MUST BE NEUTRALIZED—AT LEAST PSYCHO-CULTURALLY AND SOCIO-MATERIALLY—JUST AS THE ENEMY WITHIN MUST BE EJECTED. NEITHER CAN OCCUR WITHOUT SERIOUS STUDY AND WORK THROUGH OUR OWN AFRIKAN EYES AND ORGANIZED TECHNOLOGICALLY SOPHISTICATED INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. BOTH ENTAIL RISKING A SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL AND SPIRITUAL CRISIS; AND EVEN PHYSICAL DEATH. FOR THEM AND ONLY THEN CAN A “NEW” AFRIKAN WORLD UNION BE ESTABLISHED?

(Your feedback/comments/suggestions are welcome)

[RBG Street Scholar]

Check Out a Sharp Portal Version of this Essay
The thing about reading out of the portal is that you can do so to music/spoken word.Such is our method of communicating large amounts of infomation in short peroids of time. All forms of RBG media (text, photo, video and audio) tell the same story from different prespectives and vantage points. The better you become at interacting and integrating these various media forms the deeper you conceptual comprehension will become. All you do is turn on a video and when you scroll it simply becomes audio enhancment.

I'll tell y'all some other enhancement tips at another point.