What is your connection to hip hop? Music? Sneakers? Social action? Dance? Street art? Sports? Spoken word?
Overview
Hip hop culture comes in many forms and serves as the connective tissue between us and the world. Over time, it has also been the way Racialized communities tell their stories, build solidarities across issues and culture, and share their knowledge. Hip hop is a powerful connective tissue that has brought forth the struggles and injustices, the beauty and the hope of communities around the world.
Humanz of Hip Hop is a specially curated Human Library that brings to light the relationship between hip hop and the world we live in. Whether you have been into hip hop since the 70s or have developed a more recent liking for it through art, clothing, dance or movies, hip hop has stormed onto the scene and has never looked back. View a video from our last event.
Humanz of Hip Hop is your opportunity to hear a unique hip hop inspired story or an inspirational story by someone from the hip hop community. Each participant in our human library can be checked out, like a book, for 25 minutes of one-on-one time. Hear a story, share insight and gain perspective.
Multi-generational, multi-racial and multi-cultural, it's one nation under hip hop. Flip the script with our “human books” as they share the personal stories that speak to and shape their unique social identities. Ultimately, participating as a “reader,” you will leave with an unforgettable memory, a remarkable conversation and a belief in the transformative power of stories.
This event is open to students, staff and community.
Drop-in or register on-line but we strongly encourage registration. When you arrive you will have the opportunity to select the Human Books you wish to have a conversation with. In the case that a Human Book you are interested in is already on loan you will be added to the wait-list and will have the opportunity to converse with them at their next available timeslot. Please note we cannot guarantee guests will get to check-out their desired books. It is important guests understand this event will be first come first serve and there is limited capacity.
Conversation with each Human Book begins at:
- 1:00 pm
- 1:30 pm
- 2:00 pm
- 2:30 pm
The event wraps up at 3:00 pm
The Human Library Project is an event designed to create dialogue, promote understanding and reduce prejudice. A collection of “human stories” (widely varied in gender, cultural and religious backgrounds, and age) is offered on “loan” to visitors. Facilitated by Human Library Librarians, visitors “borrow” the human story for up to 25 minutes for an open conversation. The informal “Reader-Story Book” interaction is a positive and safe way to question and explore pre-conceived notions around race, class, gender, religion, sexuality, and share personal narratives in an open face-to-face dialogue. We hope to promote inclusion, and deepen the understanding of social justice, equity and diversity.
Hip-Hop Education at Hart House supports our values of representation, collaboration and social justice to explore and provide platforms for key principles of hip hop and its importance in our everyday culture on all three campuses. Recognizing hip hop as a powerful global influencer, Hart House seeks to create unique opportunities for students and community to engage hip hop education and artistic expression.
