Hip hop, grit, and academic success: Bettina Love at TEDxUGA

This impassioned talk explains how students who identify with Hip Hop culture have been ignored or deemed deficient in schools because of mainstream misconceptions associated with Hip Hop culture. Through Hip Hop, these students embody the characteristics of grit, social and emotional intelligence, and the act improvisation- all of which are proven to be predictors for academic success. So where is the break down between formalized education and the potential for success for these students? Dr. Love argues that ignoring students' culture in the classroom is all but an oversight; it's discrimination and injustice that plays out in our culture in very dangerous ways.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@vonniaharrisdavis1952]

We LOVE you Dr. Love!!! We are Cayenne and Che' Davis, two Kindezi students who are living examples of what the mind is capable of when you first touch the heart of a child. Thank you for being on our team.

[@agneschocobritish]

goose bumps at the end, when the picture came out ! beautiful talk and topic ! keep going ! peace

[@ffgiantsteps1]

This is a HUGE challenge... Let's not use "Self-Defense".... Let's just ALL AGREE that we can ALL BE WAYYY BETTER... and... we can all give our students a WAYYYY BETTER VERSION OF OURSELVES. They deserve it.

[@MichelleCommeyras]

Important messages. I'm glad it is widely available.

[@neomiegonzalez]

Yes Absolutely! I love this video

[@AlanaLowe]

So powerful!!! Thank you Dr. Love

[@kellynick5162]

God bless Dr Love!

[@FindYourFree]

phenomenal. So inspired by this. ty!

[@khryssbeast]

This means so much to me.

[@YaGirlDynasty]

I had the privilege of sitting in on one of Dr. Love's panels last year at the A3C Festival and she truly inspired me. I'm prepping for A3C 2014 and reflecting on all of the growth that my program has seen since our encounter. As an artist and youth advocate, I am truly grateful for her influence!

[@nataliejanewallace8376]

Love this approach!

[@user-ff1hu8bo4n]

Thank you this is so true.

[@arthurwatson9689]

Hip Hop culture certainly helped me in Plymouth UK in the `60`s when I was a Boy Scout in 7th Plymouth Troop and we were able to stage Ralph Reader`s `Gang Show` in the Palace Theatre, Union Street using props and costumes from the London production. Our performances then set a high standard for modern kids to achieve.

[@traciacloud8429]

Great Job Dr. Love! Awesome Work!

[@omarjaroba6258]

so powerful words, greetings from Chile!

[@domHoe]

This was so amazing and so inspiring! Thank you Dr Love

[@vixen1975]

Dr. Love is the Bee's Knees!!! Poignant talk!

[@vusimahlangu5690]

super powerful talk, right here..."Rap is something You Do, Hip-hop is something You Live" translation Hip-hop is emotional/social INTELLENGENCY.

[@ReginaNBradley]

Salute to Dr. Love and her much needed radical love work!

[@milacosta8605]

LOVE Dr. Love

[@QueenRiveRose22]

So powerful and on point. Brings tears to my eyes.

[@RB-oz1mm]

Brilliant! Brilliant. Bettina Love.🖤🖤🖤

[@hopeEK2023]

A great explanation of the true meaning of Hip Hop and its' impact to communities

[@jokfoy2012]

well done!

[@jasonharvey4028]

BEAUTIFUL. Put a Hip-Hop beat behind this speech.Don't let ANYONE squelch thy fire, ya'll.

[@creditcardcompassion]

Your final call to action couldn't be more important than it is today. Thank you so much for your work and dedication.

[@vmtz2001]

Wow! They make an association between the more joyous and free hip hop and academics. Mind blown.

[@girlgeeks8446]

Here is an example of an ultimate GirlGeek! Dr. Love is embracing what she loves #HipHopGeek and spreading the love of hip hop education with the world! Phenomenal job sis! #forgirlgeeks #HipHopEd

[@jammin13rd]

"murdering their spirit" is the essence of schooling (as opposed to education)

[@Yarblocosifilitico]

it's absolutely absurd, given the current conditions, to be making kids memorize all this dates names and formulas without giving them the why. It was absurd before but not as much as now with the Internet. It's not like teachers are unnecesary now - much the opposite -, but their job should be to make kids think and be able to search for the information they need. We live in the era of information, it's overwhelming now, so instead of add more (without the kid knowing why they should remember that), we should be focusing on filtering, so you have to build criteria, which is the opposite of saying "be silent, memorize this". I remember I used to read a book instead of listening in literature class, and I'm pretty sure the teacher knew but I guess he understood, so he never said anything. We really need to update our education system (my expierience is in Spain but I'm sure it applies for many others countries).

[@rafiqqasim547]

@D Calton unquestioning rote memorization is a hallmark of maoism and stalinism, not just capitalism

[@drea619]

straight #FIRE

[@naomiberman4981]

Just saw Dr. Love speak at the Teachers for Social Justice Conference in San Francisco! She is an incredible human being and I am her co-conspirator yesterday, today and always! Power to the people!!!

[@tousaik4442]

So powerful and relatable. Thank you!

[@hannahemory]

Beautiful and powerful talk - Dr. Love's passion comes right through the screen.

[@theSshow]

Amazing talk. So articulate and powerful.

[@DocDewWright35]

Proper!

[@brencipatino3441]

Amazing talk, amazing educator!

[@rtclan4609]

Keep real hip-hop alive

[@silvialiu8040]

I find myself crying when watching it...So Powerful!

[@camrobinson732]

Is there a transcript of this talk available anywhere?

[@vmtz2001]

I don't believe in pretending we're all the same. I come from a bicultural background and I know better. We should acknowledge and celebrate these differences and not feel threatened. I have long seen qualities in African Americans that I could never put my finger on that I greatly admire and aspire to possess. Finally, someone described them perfectly: Social and emotional intelligence and grit. That's why blacks excel in sales everywhere I turn. As I told a friend, I feel culturally deprived. Lol.

[@audiofilesprod]

🙏🏿

[@TheFelisajohnsscott]

Yes!!! Shades off...

[@seekdatruth2022cedricksgoldman]

iM DOPE OK MY HIP HOP iiiiiiizz DOPE iF Dont No body like it iiiiiiiiiii LOVVVVE iT HA AAYYEE❤🎉

[@josephpravda9452]

Akala, MC Lars, bring it!

[@ThePeoplesUN]

That’s real, yo

[@kellofkells6002]

Correlation with violent crime has entered the chat 💀💀💀

[@snowyx12]

Hello girlman

[@vmtz2001]

They're activating the cerebellum. The cerebellum coordinates the frontal lobe. But I don't think it's limited to blacks.

[@SidheTendencies]

It's really beautiful but I think it really could be applied to all children and is sadly isolated to a specific type of kids. Nearly all people in civilized worlds were colonized to push away robust traditions, all of us has generational history with deep connections to earth and one another that was taken away. What about native american kids. What about white kids who have been forced colonial views for hundreds or thousands of years, who eventually has lineage before colonial times. I love this. And think it's really sad that it isolates only specific children instead of sizing this model into helping all kids who come from different backgrounds and deep rich cultures. I think there must be ways to support each child's unique culture without isolating children into different classrooms just because of their past cultures or skin colors.

[@brownieboiii]

this woman taught me to hate and vilify anyone with less melanin than me. thank you bettina

[@kemauriwillis4882]

Huh?

[@CaitlynCaitb-cb4qr]

How it’s that a good thing??!

[@jokfoy2012]

" hip hop is the latest in Black genius " ...

[@jbl6132]

Yep delete my comment that tells about the truth. That figures.

[@thisisyourmindranting1095]

What was your comment about?

[@TheFalcondan95705]

@@thisisyourmindranting1095 FB deletes EVERY FACT>> IF IT IS A FACT>>> THEY DELETE IT>>> FACT/

[@thefelper.7181]

Krazy! Creating and promoting Victimhood as a way of life and an excuse to destroy whatever she can destroy. What a sick person.

[@thefelper.7181]

There was no learning going on there.

[@user-mx1ve4jw1o]

Define what learning is.

[@michaeljameson6468]

Hip Hop won’t help you design a bridge or formulate economic policy or send a satellite into space. So you can hip-hop or you want making minimum wage at Burger King. Good luck to you…

[@leanaborges4293]

You missed the point Michael....transferable skills...

[@user-mx1ve4jw1o]

Even if you go through traditional curriculum, you may still not able to build bridges..duh