Visiting Berkley to participate in the "Bridging the Gap 2009" conference was one to remember.The legacy of the Bridging the Gap conference is to facilitate an intergenerational dialogue between the hip hop generation and civil rights activists to assist them in sharing resources, strategies, and visions that will empower them to thrive in the new millennium. The conference also strives to build networks between different organizations and segments of the black spiritual faith community. Few forums exist where people of color are provided the space to dialogue about the community, educational and generational issues that matter most to them. "Bridging the Gap" provides such a forum.
Youth from the Neighborhood Technology Resource Center's summer iCamp program continued to develop communication, literacy, and technology skills across the board as a result of their commitment to networking with stellar professionals attending the conference. The NTRC Youth Delegation was asked to develop meaningful content to display at the conference . Sparkle Rucker and Earin Johnson was asked to participate in a panel discussion about how meaning media affects their community? Earin spoke about developing his skills in Hip-Hop Club and iCamp and setting a trend for delivering meaning media through his music. The edgy, erie, lyrical content displayed during the final concert was like no other. Earin won over his peers and the entire Berkley crowd with his vocals and performance skill sets by performing "Trouble" a track produced by DJ Profits another NTRC Youth Delegate.
Sparkle Rucker didn't hesitate to take on any questions that the panel moderator threw her way. Sparkle spoke about bringing front change with the media she creates. She talked about filming a defaced Barack Obama mural this summer on one of Chicago Northside beaches while attending an iCamp field trip. She wrote and podcast about the experience and really couldn't understand why someone could act in such a heartless way. Sparkle did a great job of describing the iCamp program and her role in it. She has a knack for illustrating meaning stories with her words and I look forward to future success for Sparkle and her meaningful media creating abilities.
Lauren Taylor recorded most of the video footage for the conference and did a great job of documenting our stay. As the conference progressed, Lauren displays her vocal and performance skill sets by performing a J.Ivy poem that was recently sample by recording artist Kanye West title "Never Let You Down". The audience ovation after Lauren finished her spoken word poem was just what Lauren needed. Lauren did a great job of representing the NTRC Youth Delegation as a whole. Lauren's blog about the Berkley Visit is below.
This year, the purpose with the 5th Annual BTG Conference was to help create opportunities for youth to become leaders of social change by connecting with people and resources in their community. The conference also strives to share a culture of achievement and to build the capacity of schools to be more connected. Bridging the Gap 2009 provided tools and inspiration for inner-city youth and teachers alike to tackle issues or causes that are important to them (arts, education, community, multimedia).
Overall, the NTRC Youth delegation did a great job of representing Chicago at the conference. They will be able to take what they have learned at the conference and share with family and friends. The experience alone by participating in the many different workshops the BTG 09 conference had to offer such as, writing workshops, critical thinking activities, hip-hop Awareness, and understand the Keynote Speaker: Nguci Thiong'o message about connecting will help Lauren, Sparkle and Earin continue to develop and become meaning future leaders that will continue to assist in sustaining change.
Earin Johnson
"I thought the trip to California was both fun and interesting. I thought it was a great opportunity and learning experience because doing the "Bridge the Gap" event I learned a lot of things from the adults there. I learned more about hip-hop and how the other adults there were trying to make a change in there community".
Our first hour there we met up with Jillian, settled in our hotel rooms, and went to this restuant called "The Original". When done eating we went to the Library and met up with Kwe and a few other people we've met during our time in iCamp and a few people we haven't met before. We all sat in a circle introduced our self, then set up the room for a poetry reading. The energy in the room was amazing, it has been awhile since I've been around creative, positive energy, and I felt really blessed to be there. Then we just looked for the computer store went back to our hotel room, then went to KPFA radio station and got a tour from, i think the guy name was Pedro. He told us the history of KPFA and basically the purpose and mission of the station. We ran into Fred Hampton Jr., and to be that was like crazy because i've met him before in chicago when I use to hang with my old group and it was like is everyone comming to Cali this weekend.
After all that we went back to our room and chilled and eventually went to sleep.
That Saturday was the "Bridge the Gap" Conference. Like Friday the room was filled with energy, and amazing people. Too bad it was cold. The diffrent workshops and speakers were really fun and cool. The topics that different people talked about were cool to here other people views on things that i'm interested in. The show afterwards was CRAZY. It was cold but worth it. The different musicians were super talented. There was not one performance that I had to fake that I liked. I want to take this time to say EARIN YOU KILLED YOUR SONG, ME AND SPARKLE WAS GOING CRAZY TO SEE THAT OTHER SIDE YOU. YOU'RE TRULY THE REALIST.
Later on that night we went to a dinner party at Jillian's friend house. The goals of the weekend were to make connections, and eat something healthy. I think we successfully completed both goals.
Sunday, our last day in Cali. We got up early to go shopping. I was really excited because besides writing, holding a mic, spending money is like my favorite thing to do. I got something from everystore we went to. The plane ride home was a little more frustrating because we couldn't sit next to each other. When we were actually back in Chicago but still in the air, I felt relieved, and appreciated Chicago more. I have never missed my home so much. California was beautiful, wonderful, and exciting, but weird at the same time. I couldn't imagine moving there and adjusting to the way things work over there. I missed my family, and friends, and waking up at 8:30 a.m. and not 6:30 a.m.. If given the opportunity, I would be happy to go back.
I want to thank John, for taking Earin, Sparkle and my self. There were plenty of amazing talented kids we worked with this past summer, and he could have invited any of them but he picked us so thanks it was an unforgettable experience. I also want to thank Jillian. Before this trip we've met before but never really talked. It was cool hanging with you thanks for inviting us to the dinner party, we hope we can spend time with you again really soon.
KWE, wowzers! it was nice to see you again. you taught me a lot this past summer, and it was nice to use that knowledge somewhere out of my neighborhood. You kept us bussy, and we had a great time. It was nice to meet Jesse and Abel again. I'm reading Jesse book now. Its a great story and I will be telling my friends to check it out. In fact every one should check it out if you haven't already. It was great Meeting Amber. She is an amazing woman, a great writer, I am really happy I got a chance to meet her. Sorry if I'm forgetting any one. We made connections with a lot of great people that weekend. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, it was an amazing experience, and hope we can all chat together soon.
*If you missed the Conference, sucks to be you, check out:
http://bridgingthegap2009.org
http://www.kpfa.org
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/quantumsoulcafe *
Sparkle Rucker
Sparkle Cam
Youth from the Neighborhood Technology Resource Center's summer iCamp program continued to develop communication, literacy, and technology skills across the board as a result of their commitment to networking with stellar professionals attending the conference. The NTRC Youth Delegation was asked to develop meaningful content to display at the conference . Sparkle Rucker and Earin Johnson was asked to participate in a panel discussion about how meaning media affects their community? Earin spoke about developing his skills in Hip-Hop Club and iCamp and setting a trend for delivering meaning media through his music. The edgy, erie, lyrical content displayed during the final concert was like no other. Earin won over his peers and the entire Berkley crowd with his vocals and performance skill sets by performing "Trouble" a track produced by DJ Profits another NTRC Youth Delegate.
Sparkle Rucker didn't hesitate to take on any questions that the panel moderator threw her way. Sparkle spoke about bringing front change with the media she creates. She talked about filming a defaced Barack Obama mural this summer on one of Chicago Northside beaches while attending an iCamp field trip. She wrote and podcast about the experience and really couldn't understand why someone could act in such a heartless way. Sparkle did a great job of describing the iCamp program and her role in it. She has a knack for illustrating meaning stories with her words and I look forward to future success for Sparkle and her meaningful media creating abilities.
Lauren Taylor recorded most of the video footage for the conference and did a great job of documenting our stay. As the conference progressed, Lauren displays her vocal and performance skill sets by performing a J.Ivy poem that was recently sample by recording artist Kanye West title "Never Let You Down". The audience ovation after Lauren finished her spoken word poem was just what Lauren needed. Lauren did a great job of representing the NTRC Youth Delegation as a whole. Lauren's blog about the Berkley Visit is below.
This year, the purpose with the 5th Annual BTG Conference was to help create opportunities for youth to become leaders of social change by connecting with people and resources in their community. The conference also strives to share a culture of achievement and to build the capacity of schools to be more connected. Bridging the Gap 2009 provided tools and inspiration for inner-city youth and teachers alike to tackle issues or causes that are important to them (arts, education, community, multimedia).
Overall, the NTRC Youth delegation did a great job of representing Chicago at the conference. They will be able to take what they have learned at the conference and share with family and friends. The experience alone by participating in the many different workshops the BTG 09 conference had to offer such as, writing workshops, critical thinking activities, hip-hop Awareness, and understand the Keynote Speaker: Nguci Thiong'o message about connecting will help Lauren, Sparkle and Earin continue to develop and become meaning future leaders that will continue to assist in sustaining change.
Earin Johnson
Lauren Taylor
Last Friday, February 6th, to be exact, I was off on a trip to California with John, Sparkle, and Earin. Leaving my family and getting on a plane for the first time, I nervous, and fearing what I was getting my self into. Once the plane took off and we got in the air, it was easier to relax, and less nerve racking. It was hard to except the fact that we were really in Cali, and that I had gotten over my fear of flying to be in Cali.Our first hour there we met up with Jillian, settled in our hotel rooms, and went to this restuant called "The Original". When done eating we went to the Library and met up with Kwe and a few other people we've met during our time in iCamp and a few people we haven't met before. We all sat in a circle introduced our self, then set up the room for a poetry reading. The energy in the room was amazing, it has been awhile since I've been around creative, positive energy, and I felt really blessed to be there. Then we just looked for the computer store went back to our hotel room, then went to KPFA radio station and got a tour from, i think the guy name was Pedro. He told us the history of KPFA and basically the purpose and mission of the station. We ran into Fred Hampton Jr., and to be that was like crazy because i've met him before in chicago when I use to hang with my old group and it was like is everyone comming to Cali this weekend.
After all that we went back to our room and chilled and eventually went to sleep.
That Saturday was the "Bridge the Gap" Conference. Like Friday the room was filled with energy, and amazing people. Too bad it was cold. The diffrent workshops and speakers were really fun and cool. The topics that different people talked about were cool to here other people views on things that i'm interested in. The show afterwards was CRAZY. It was cold but worth it. The different musicians were super talented. There was not one performance that I had to fake that I liked. I want to take this time to say EARIN YOU KILLED YOUR SONG, ME AND SPARKLE WAS GOING CRAZY TO SEE THAT OTHER SIDE YOU. YOU'RE TRULY THE REALIST.
Later on that night we went to a dinner party at Jillian's friend house. The goals of the weekend were to make connections, and eat something healthy. I think we successfully completed both goals.
Sunday, our last day in Cali. We got up early to go shopping. I was really excited because besides writing, holding a mic, spending money is like my favorite thing to do. I got something from everystore we went to. The plane ride home was a little more frustrating because we couldn't sit next to each other. When we were actually back in Chicago but still in the air, I felt relieved, and appreciated Chicago more. I have never missed my home so much. California was beautiful, wonderful, and exciting, but weird at the same time. I couldn't imagine moving there and adjusting to the way things work over there. I missed my family, and friends, and waking up at 8:30 a.m. and not 6:30 a.m.. If given the opportunity, I would be happy to go back.
I want to thank John, for taking Earin, Sparkle and my self. There were plenty of amazing talented kids we worked with this past summer, and he could have invited any of them but he picked us so thanks it was an unforgettable experience. I also want to thank Jillian. Before this trip we've met before but never really talked. It was cool hanging with you thanks for inviting us to the dinner party, we hope we can spend time with you again really soon.
KWE, wowzers! it was nice to see you again. you taught me a lot this past summer, and it was nice to use that knowledge somewhere out of my neighborhood. You kept us bussy, and we had a great time. It was nice to meet Jesse and Abel again. I'm reading Jesse book now. Its a great story and I will be telling my friends to check it out. In fact every one should check it out if you haven't already. It was great Meeting Amber. She is an amazing woman, a great writer, I am really happy I got a chance to meet her. Sorry if I'm forgetting any one. We made connections with a lot of great people that weekend. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, it was an amazing experience, and hope we can all chat together soon.
*If you missed the Conference, sucks to be you, check out:
http://bridgingthegap2009.org
http://www.kpfa.org
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/quantumsoulcafe *
Sparkle RuckerSparkle Cam
Berkley Visit Video Tape 1
