Hip Hop for Human Rights

On this important day…

December 10th is the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948. To mark this significant day, Huzzahnians shared their creativity: they wrote hip hop routines that focus our attention on the importance of human rights, and what happens when human rights are not respected or protected.

Inspiration

We were inspired by the video below, created by young people in Kenya. Their message is about the environment, and they share it in a very effective way.

We have explored what human rights with the help of various resources and the amazing videos and PSAs at the Youth for Human Rights site.  Mr. Laurie, our student teacher, helped us create criteria using the video as our exemplar.

Lyrics

Writing lyrics collaboratively was hard, but having created our own criteria really helped. Here are are a few of the lines different groups came up with:

Abuse is a crime from all time/ It hurts–nobody should be treated like this/ They get banged they get bashed they get harassed

Everyone has the right to eat/ No more hungry people on the street/ No more hungry people/No more hungry people

Livin’ on the streets with disgusting feets/ Some of missing our heartbeats

Nothin’ to do ‘cept lick up the dew/ Welter with no shelter/ There’s no fun when your under the sun/Your gonna feel some pain if your out in the rain/ Ya …Ya… Ya… gonna wail when it starts to hail

The right of a human is the right of all humans: to live.

Performance

After writing, revising, choreographing, and practicing, we were ready to share. Mr. Laurie made a graffiti backdrop for us and we chose our clothes to suit the presentation. Sharing the hip hop routines was fun, and maybe a bit nerve-wracking. Here is just one:

Each group did a terrific job of getting its message out, and we looked pretty great, too.


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Huzzahnians, what was this experience like for you?

5 comments

  1. Wow – double wow – even triple wow. Congratulations to Division 4 and Mrs. Smith for your nomination for best class blog, and your fantastic class page. The work I see posted is amazing – and you should all feel incredibly proud of your contributions. The work I see behind the scenes is equally commendable. I especially enjoyed watching the creation of your Human Rights Raps (and the pictures!!) – what a super project!
    Keep up the outstanding work, Div 4!!
    Mrs. Black

    1. Hi Mrs. Black, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. Having the Flip video cameras to use for our learning really helped; thank you for making it possible for us to use them.

  2. Like you guys I also love hip hop. I like how you guys are able to make your own lyrics and music. you guys should write back to me.Oh, and Ilove your video.click here
    for my blog.

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