On Feb. 20, ASUC Senator Owen Knapper Jr. worked in conjunction with Hip Hop for Change and the Nigerian Student Association, or NSA, to organize “Building Bridges” — an event on hip-hop history and dance. The event took place in the ASUC Senate Chambers in Eshleman.
Hip Hop for Change is a nonprofit based out of Oakland that works to teach K-12 and college students about hip-hop culture. Marlon Richardson, the Hip Hop for Change education director, who is involved in the hip-hop community under the artist name “Unlearn the World,” presented a lesson on the theory of hip-hop evolution, music and culture.
Richardson explained that hip-hop can be used to “redefine your own personal narrative,” and that hip-hop holds an important role for “youth self-expression around the world.” According to Richardson, there are five elements of hip-hop: DJ-ing, breaking, emceeing, graffiti or writing and knowledge. Richardson has been working in the hip-hop space for the past 30 years and in conjunction with UC Berkeley for the last 5 or 6 years.
Berkeley Dance Community, or BDC, Vice President Sona Wyse has been organizing the event for the past three years. According to Wyse, BDC has always worked in collaboration with the ASUC on the event.
“It is a great event for different communities of campus to come together and learn about the history of hip-hop and its connection to identities. Especially since hip hop and dance is such a big part of our campus community,” Wyse said.
Chief of Staff for Owen Knapper Jr. and Margaret Solomon worked to help book the space and connect groups to participate in the event. Solomon is also a member of the NSA, and enjoys watching the dance group. According to Solomon, much of Afro beats also include hip-hop elements.
“It’s cool to see the impact of hip-hop within the African Diaspora,” Solomon said.
BDC President Akshara Shankar also worked with the ASUC Office of the President to organize the event.
“It has worked well because we have been able to come together with people,” Shankar said. “As a dancer myself, it has been really nice to know there are other dancers out there and to see their performance. The dance community makes such a big part of this campus, and I think our community is so big. We really shine on all platforms here.”
NSA dance team member and co-dance captain Yasmine Jalloh explained that the event is important to help showcase culture.
The team worked on practicing the dance while also simultaneously working on dances for other events.
“Sometimes it is hard to find community here so I think that NSA has allowed me to be able express myself freely and be in community with others of like-minded students at Berkeley,” Jalloh said. “Building community is really important, you never know who you might meet in these species so I think that it’s really cool to meet other people.”
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