Filling 100 seats, students sat waiting in Royce Hall’s auditorium.
A few had their parents along, but many were alone.
One person wore a blue shirt with the face of a loved one. Others wore white shirts with red print that said, “Hip-Hop is Education.”
All were waiting for the Hip-Hop Leaders World Conference for Peace to begin. Felicia “The Poetess” Morris from Jamie Foxx’s radio show, “The Foxxhole,” came on stage and began hosting the town hall meeting.
She first asked the crowd if they knew anyone who lost a friend to gang violence or have friends in gangs.
Many raised their hands slowly.
On Aug. 16, the conference brought together students, at-risk youths, celebrities, politicians and community members in order to motivate students to seek a life beyond inner-city crime and gang violence. It began with an evening town hall meeting to address issues of violence and hip-hop. The conference focused on ongoing violence in the community, causes of violent circumstances, and how the hip-hop community has addressed these issues.
“Instead of blaming the rappers or blaming the music, it’s important to blame the system” said Kirk “Sticky Fingaz” Jones, an actor and rapper. “That’s making these situations … and refusing to fix them.”
Now in it’s fourth year, the Hip-Hop World Conference for Peace is hosted by the Hip-Hop Leaders Program, a year-round college prep and mentoring program alongside UniverSOUL Productions. The conference tries to keep kids away from crime and violence.
It does this by motivating students to attend college and opening their minds to a different life for themselves, said Frank Satterwhite, founder of 1600 Avenue, a Los Angeles after-school program for at-risk students.
“In at-risk areas, most families are making less than $22,000 a year. Children are not interested in school because they feel it’s a dead end,” said Judy Evans, a parent. “The (conference) gives students encouragement to do better,” she added.
The meeting allowed a panel of positive African American role models, such as Ryan Ford, executive editor of Source Magazine, politicians such as U.S. Reps. Maxine Waters and Laura Richardson, Councilmember-elect Isadore Hall and State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, church leaders, rappers and actors to discuss specific questions from the host and the audience about violence in the local community.
The panel emphasized that hip-hop, as a form of music, may establish positive means of connecting parents to their children.
“Hip-hop allows for self-expression, exercise and opens lines of communication,” said Paul Smith, a Los Angeles County deputy.
“Communication is the key to actions being implemented whether it be through dancing, hip-hop or some other form of expression.”
“The conference has been around for about four years,” said Satterwhite. “Last year one of our students was murdered on his way home from school.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Dovon Harris, 15, was killed on June 15, 2007 after celebrating a high school graduation ceremony.
The panel also expressed parental delinquency is an issue plaguing communities.
Anton Gibson, a UCLA alumni on the discussion panel, said part of his success in life was through his parents who allowed him to learn about the opportunities in school.
“Innocent children are at risk.” Evans said. “The kids are not free to wear what they choose, and it’s usually the innocent ones who get hurt.”
Evans and other parents attended the conference for their first time after hearing about Harris’ death.
However, the overall lack of parents in the audience underscored the panel’s message that change must first occur among parents and then the community.
Evans said she and Smith will start parenting classes to teach parents how to raise their children, along with money management.
“All parents need to be involved. Kids come first,” Evans said. “It’s not about us parents.”
The town hall meeting ended with a college step show and a concert featuring musical artists Teairra MarÃ, Alex Thomas, Akil, Mark Love and Warren G.