What an opportunity to work with such a unique group of brilliant youth. Within self-discovery, these youth transformed trauma into goals and passion. Mentors M.C. Supernatural, Lil' Rock, Damet 1, Tony Ozier aka Dookie, and J Ross Parrelli brought a five-day conference to Los Alamitos Sunburst's Youth Academy.
We went over the 5 elements of Hip Hop culture including the Emcee, the DJ, Muralist/Graf Artist, Break Dancers, and knowledge of self. The first three days we met with each In platoon, The Panthers, The wolf Pack, and the Chargers. Each group got a seeies of workshops from goal setting, lyric writing, beat making, Break dancing, graffiti art, and life skills.
After that first day, youth decided if they wanted to participate in a showcase at the end of the week. Wow such talent. Students made beats, wrote lyrics, some recorded, others danced.
Two days of one-on-one and group mentoring and these students were ready. Friday came and the showcase was a huge success. Confidence overcame fear, joy overcame tense emotions, and leaders stepped up to the forefront.
So many magical moments....
