Black youth in educational settings are frequently viewed through a deficit lens, obscuring unique educational strengths that are fostered in Black communities. Educational institutions presume Black youth are predisposed to unsafe living environments, sexually promiscuous behavior, and hyperaggressive tendencies. These detrimental assumptions lead Black youth to have a reductive view of self. Propaganda, miseducation, and oppressive systemic structures contribute to the deconstruction of Black childhood and repurpose it as adulthood. Through culturally inclusive frameworks and interactive modalities, Black youth are centered as subjects rather than perpetrators. Expressive Arts and Hip Hop Therapy are key tenets that allow Black youth to feel comfortable embracing their Blackness. Expressive Art allows for the expression of outward emotions that do not have a structural outlook in traditional educational settings. Hip-Hop Therapy is a multifaceted modality designed to support Black youth in embracing their cultural identity while providing a safe, affirming space for expressive exploration. Through interventions such as DJ’ing, MC’ing, spoken word, and breakdancing, hip-hop facilitates storytelling and empowers Black youth to exercise their expressive freedom. By increasing awareness of the social injustices they may face, Black youth are supported in resting in social awareness, cultural empowerment, and self-expression. Hip-hop serves as a foundational pillar of Black culture, shaping fashion, music, community, values, and unity, while simultaneously confronting systemic injustice, oppression, and the premature exposure of Black youth to adult experiences. Expressive Arts and Hip-Hop Therapy create spaces for creation, liberation, and healing in educational settings where such practices are often marginalized or unfamiliar.

Authors:
Deja' Moses, Bowie State University, United States
Demere Coker, Bowie State University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Demere Coker, M.A., LGPC, is Director of Program Development at Mettle Works Behavioral Services and a therapist focused on Black youth and men. A COES doctoral student at Bowie State, his work centers Afrocentric, healing-focused care and justice.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/demere-coker-219b96194

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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