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Peace and love, friends, neighbors, supporters and haters, welcome back to Hip-Hop Can Save America! aka ‘the world’s smartest Hip-Hop podcast.’

I’m Manny Faces. Fans and friends know that whenever I’m presented with a societal issue, problem or disturbing trend, any suggestion I have as to how to solve it will include, in some form or fashion, Hip-Hop.

Those who know we VERY well, also know that through my years on the planet, finance hasn’t always been my strong suit.

Similarly, financial literacy isn’t something that schools, or even families tend to focus on. Our relationship with money can be overwhelming, and this is especially true in communities that have been denied access to financial services, generational wealth, and overall financial opportunity.

Pockets Change exists to change ALL of that, helping young and old alike, from all walks of life, get a better understanding of money, how it shapes our behavior, how to conquer our fears, and work toward a stronger financial future.

And of course, they wouldn’t be on THIS show if there wasn’t a Hip Hop angle in the mix.

Now, before we get into it, I just want to let you all know that I’m making it easier for you to follow the Hip-Hop related content I produce, whether it’s this podcast, curating links to stories of interest, editorials, announcing speaking engagements and more. I’m putting that all under one roof so to speak — Please sign up for the Words I Mannyfest newsletter on Substack, at mannyfaces.substack.com. It’s free, but if you do choose to support my independent, high-level Hip-Hop related journalism, you can do that there as well.

Now, let’s get into it. Here’s my talk with Andrea Ferrero of Pockets Change.

On this episode of Hip-Hop Can Save America!, aka, ‘the world’s smartest Hip-Hop podcast,” improving youth literacy, one book at a time — with a little Hip-Hop added to the mix. We hear from Jonathan Beatty aka the “Chief Bookman,” founder of I LOVE BOOKS, an apparel startup on a mission to end illiteracy.

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HHCSA! is a Manny Faces Media production.

We often talk about the intersection of Hip-Hop and education on this show — and for good reason. It’s an area that has produced a ton of receipts showing the effectiveness of merging these two worlds for the good of our young people. This was perfectly exemplified when we covered the Can’t Stop Hip-Hop: The Education Movement conference at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and first heard form today’s guest. And while we sometimes get lost in the pedagogical weeds, I am so excited to kick it with Aysha Upchurch because not only does she expertly navigate those weeds, but her Hip-Hop spirit is always on full display — and it is that dance and movement-inspired lens through which she views her work, approaches the world, inspires and empowers others, and sparks radical change — that sits at the heart of the very concept of this show, and all my work. That Hip-Hop can save America! And most likely, all of humanity. Aysha Upchurch, I promise you, is part of that blueprint..

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Follow on social media @hiphopadvocacy

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Support the show at http://www.patreon.com/hiphopadvocacy

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HHCSA! is a Manny Faces Media production.

On this episode, Manny Faces speaks with Junious Brickhouse, internationally established educator, choreographer, cultural preservationist, Founder/Executive Director, Urban Artistry Inc. and director of acclaimed international diplomacy and cultural exchange program, Next Level.

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Follow on social media @hiphopadvocacy

Email us at hiphopadvocacy@gmail.com

Support the show at http://www.patreon.com/hiphopadvocacy

Book a speaker – http://www.hiphopspeaker.com

Sign up for the free newsletter http://www.hiphopadvocacy.org/newsletter

HHCSA! is a Manny Faces Media production.

Peace and love, happy Halloween weekend, perhaps a perfect time to talk to not just A Phantom, but Thee Phantom, the maestro behind the magnificent Illharmonic Orchestra melding the worlds of Hip-Hop and classical music. It’s a fascinating discussion and we’re excited to bring it to you.

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For more information about our show, including how to support our high-quality, independent, smart Hip-Hop journalism, visit http://www.hiphopadvocacy.org/links

Hip-Hip Can Save America! is a Manny Faces Media production, in association with The Center for Hip-Hop Advocacy

Two of the more recurring topics we’ve covered on this show have been the authentic, compassionate and effective use of Hip-Hop music and culture in educational settings and in therapeutic sessions, both inside and out of school proper. The intersection of these intersections highlights a huge, overarching concept that I and many of the folks I talk to swear by.

It’s the healing power of Hip-Hop.

It’s such a good phrase. Such a concise, complete explanation of why I care so much about spreading the good word about Hip-Hop’s potential to uplift humanity and improve society. The healing power of Hip-Hop.

Of course, only one of us actually wrote the book on the subject. Among a few other things you’ll hear about, Dr. Raphael Travis is a Professor and MSW Program Director at Texas State University in the School of Social Work and author of the book “The Healing Power of Hip Hop.” Dr. Travis and I spoke a little ways back about his work, his research and just how Hip-Hop is able to, well, heal.

Here’s my talk with Dr. Raphael Travis.

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For more information about our show, including how to support quality, independent, smart Hip-Hop journalism, visit http://www.hiphopadvocacy.org/links

Prior to the pandemic, and at the insistence of one of our prior guests Dr. Elliot Gann, I visited Mott Haven Community High School in the Bronx, to see J.C. Hall’s Hip Hop Therapy Studio program in action. This full fledged recording studio was filled with students, hanging out after school to craft, rehearse and record music and spoken word. They were engaged, excited, and bursting with creative brilliance. On the surface, you might think this was simply a music class, an extracurricular club.

In some ways, it was. But it’s so much more than that. See, this is what Hip-Hop therapy can look like. The concept and the program was showcased in the award-winning documentary short Mott Haven, exploring how this work was able to so effectively address grief and trauma in the wake of a school tragedy, and after having seen just a taste during my own visit, I wasn’t surprised in the least.

So, after much too much time, I finally reached out to kick it with J.C. Hall about the program. Hall, a 2020 Jefferson Award winner for outstanding public service related to this work, broke down how the worlds of Hip-Hip and therapy can — and should – combine.

If you ask me, healing never sounded so good.

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Remember, if you like what we do, please take a moment to rate and review the show. And if you feel so inclined, you can help support this show and other Hip-Hop and social justice related work at http://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces.

On this episode, artist, activist and educator, Ellect gave us a taste of how his work with #HipHopIsVoting was aimed at making an impact on the 2020 election cycle as well as the future of civic engagement. As we saw from some local elections, and in a big way in Georgia, these ideas have merit, and can indeed help bring about major change.

Ellect also talks about his role as an educator, and as an artist that frequently works issues such as climate change and racial justice into his work.

Plus, fun fact: He’s related to someone you know.

All in all, Ellect brings a ton to the table when it comes to demonstrating ways that Hip-Hop music and culture can be used to uplift humanity.

Remember, if you like what we do, please take a moment to rate and review the show. And if you feel so inclined, you can help support this show and other Hip-Hop and social justice related work at http://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces.

On this episode of Hip-Hop Can Save America! aka ‘the world’s smartest Hip-Hop podcast’, (we think very deeply). A look at the intersection of Hip-Hop and philosophy with Dr. Mark Sanders of the University of North Carolina.

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