[Press Conference: “Reading with a Rapper”]
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AND WELCOME EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US FOR THIS AFTERNOON, UH, THIS AFTERNOON.
TO ADDRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY AND THE ARTS IN OUR CITY.
IT'S KIND OF FITTING THAT IT'S TAKING PLACE RIGHT AFTER THE GRAMMYS LAST, UH, LAST NIGHT, UH, LAST YEAR.
THIS ADMINISTRATION DEMONSTRATED ITS COMMITMENT, UH, TO MUSIC BY ESTABLISHING THE HOUSTON MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD AND LAUNCHING THE HOUSTON MUSIC DIRECTORY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
UH, THIS WORK HAS BEEN LED BY OUR MUSIC OFFICER, GRACIE CHAVEZ.
UH, TODAY WE ARE ANNOUNCING A PARTNERSHIP WITH LITERACY PROGRAMS, READING WITH A RAPPER TO CONTINUE THAT WORK IN THE MUSIC SPACE, BUT ALSO TO KEEP OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO LITERACY.
UH, QUITE FRANKLY, THEY CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF HIP HOP.
YOU KNOW, LAST, LAST NIGHT, UH, THE READING WITH A RAPPER PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS THAT.
RW WITH A RAPPER, MUSIC WITH A
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT COMING FROM THE FOFO USES HIP HOP MUSIC AND LOCAL MUSICIANS TO TEACH STUDENTS READING AND WRITING SKILLS IN AN INTERACTIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT.
WE ALL KNOW THAT MUSIC IS A POWERFUL TOOL THAT CAN HELP STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
SO I BELIEVE THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH AURA DE WR WILL ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN LITERACY THROUGH THE ARTS.
AND THIS WORK IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE LOW LITERACY AFFECTS THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND EVERY AREA OF OUR ECONOMY, AND WE CAN MAKE SYSTEMIC CHANGES AND NEED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THIS CREATIVELY IMPACTING OUR YOUTH WHILE UPLIFTING LOCAL MUSICIANS.
AND SO I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALONG WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND HTV, UH, WILL HELP AMPLIFY, UH, THESE EFFORTS THROUGH PROMOTIONAL AND PROGRAMMING SUPPORT FOR THE COMING YEAR.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS OUR GOALS OF LITERACY FOR ALL, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR CREATIVE WAYS TO BEST SUPPORT EDUCATORS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND LEVERAGE OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE JOINED, UH, TODAY, UH, BY, UH, SUPERINTENDENT MILLARD, HOUSE, SUPERINTENDENT OF HISD, AND DR. MAYS, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF AID.
GIVE IT UP FOR BOTH OF THESE, BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN, PINEY POINT ELEMENTARY AND HISD, AND HAR, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ALE, ISD ARE TWO OF THOSE SCHOOLS THAT WILL GET TO EXPERIENCE READING WITH A RAPPER THIS YEAR.
UH, SO NOW LET ME, FIRST, LET ME INVITE THE QUEEN OF, UM, OF DISTRICT GV, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS, UH, TO SPEAK.
AND, UH, SHE IS A PROUD, LONG STANDING RESIDENT OF A EAF DISTRICT GOV AND THE PUBLIC AND FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER YES.
OF AAF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS.
AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT'S JOINING US.
WE ALL, ALL WATCHED LAST NIGHT TO WITNESS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIP HOP IN, UH, IN THE CULTURE AND HOW FAR WE'VE COME.
SO IT'S ONLY BEFITTING THAT WE ARE DOING THIS.
I PROMISE I CANNOT RAP AND WILL NOT RAP AND WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY CHALLENGE TO RAP.
BUT I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS VERY DYNAMIC AND LIVE PARTNERSHIP THAT INCORPORATES LEARNING AND MUSIC.
LITERACY HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I REMEMBER READING AND OF GREEN GABLES AND GETTING LOST INTO THAT SERIES.
AND THAT WAS, UM, THE BEGINNING OF MY, UM, RELATIONSHIP WITH, WITH READING AND LITERACY AND LEARNING.
UM, BUT ALSO WITH THAT, UM, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I MADE SURE THAT ADULT LITERACY WAS ALSO ADDRESSED.
AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ADULT LITERACY, WE HAD FUNDED A PROGRAM IN THE PAST, WHICH CONTINUES TO YIELD TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESULTS.
UM, BUT OFTENTIMES A CITY GOVERNMENT IS ASKED, WHAT DO WE DO WITH SCHOOLS AND HOW DO WE GET TO PARTNER? AND WHAT'S THE COLLABORATION AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? AND TODAY IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE MANY EFFORTS MAYOR TURNER HAS INITIATED.
SO I WANNA APPRECIATE YOU AND ACKNOWLEDGE FOR YOUR VISION FOR INCLUDING YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, IN YOUR VISION FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE PREPARE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN K THROUGH 12 TO COMPETE IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN THEIR CAREERS.
AND SO, SINCE SEPTEMBER, 2022, WHEN I SAW JARON AT A, AT ANOTHER EVENT, I SAID, HEY, WE HAVE TO GET READING WITH THE RAPPER TO THE WEST SIDE.
AND SO MY STAFF HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY SINCE FALL 22 TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EXECUTE.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU JAREN AND JORDAN FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, PARTICULARLY, UH, NAMING PINEY POINT AS THE FLAGSHIP,
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WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT.SO $30,000 OF THE CONTRIBUTION IS COMING FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS TO DO THAT.
UM, SINCE WE ARE IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT PINEY POINT IS ACTUALLY A RESETTLEMENT OF FREE SLAVES AND WAS RESETTLED IN 1865.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW THAT RESETTLED IN 1865 AND THE FIRST, UH, THE FIRST SCHOOL WAS BUILT, UH, IN 1917, THAT LAND WAS DONATED TO HISD, THUS PINEY POINT ELEMENTARY.
SO WE ARE LITERALLY, YOU'LL LITERALLY BE DOING THAT WORK ON THE LAND THAT SLAVES FREE SLAVES CREATED OF, BECAUSE THEY WANTED THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR LEGACIES TO HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION.
AGAIN, MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M SURE YOU RECEIVED A BUNCH OF CRITICISM WHEN THEY WERE LIKE READING WHAT A RAPPER, WHY WOULD, WHY WOULD WE DO THAT IN SCHOOLS? BUT IT'S DEFINITELY YIELDING RESULTS.
AND THERE'S NOT A TV CHANNEL YOU CANNOT TURN ON WHERE THE INFLUENCE OF HIP HOP IS NOT ON TV, NOT IN THE CULTURE, NOT ON MAINSTREAM TELEVISION.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR PIONEERING THAT, PIONEERING THAT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO BOTH OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS.
I'M EXCITED THAT HOL AND SOUTHWEST, ALIE, TEXAS WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, EXPERIENCE THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MODEL SOMETHING AND BRING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE WEST SIDE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU KNOW, SHE SAYS SOUTHEAST TEXAS, AND THAT'S SOUTHEAST HOUSTON.
NOW LET ME, UH, LET ME ALSO NOW, UH, BRING UP JAR SMALL, WHO IS WORKING WITH HIS PARTNERS TO BRING READING WITH A RAPPER, UH, TO CLASSROOMS ACROSS TEXAS TO THE PODIUM.
AND, AND JAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE KING INTERESTED IN EDUCATION AND OUR KIDS AND THEIR FUTURE.
SO IT'S AN HONOR TO BRING HIM NOW TO THIS PODIUM OF JERRY.
SO BEFORE I GET STARTED, I JUST REALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE READING AND RAPPER TEAM AND FAMILY.
IT'S MADE UP OF ACTUAL REAL ELA TEACHERS THAT WE SAT DOWN WITH THE S CURRICULUM.
DOUGLAS BEHIND ME, MY CO-FOUNDER OF THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION.
WE STARTED THIS 10 YEARS AGO, AND THE MISSION WAS TO SIMPLY JUST TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE WE WERE THOSE ACTUAL KIDS.
SO TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN HERE TODAY TO DO THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR US.
SO WITHIN THAT FREEDOM AND RAMP HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 2018.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE IMPACTED ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND STUDENTS BETWEEN SCHU, NEW ORLEANS, KANSAS, LA, UM, NORTH CAROLINA, AND SO MANY MORE CITIES.
BUT HOUSTON'S OUR HOME, AND THIS IS WHERE WE GREW UP AT IT.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CORNERSTONE OF EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE STARTS HERE IN THIS CITY.
UM, MAYOR TURNER, I THINK YOU REALIZE HISTORICALLY WE WERE HERE FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, TWO YEARS AGO.
WE HAD MEEK MILL HERE, AND WE ALMOST GOT YOU TO FREESTYLE.
AND HOPEFULLY I WAS TRYING TO SEE TODAY IF WE CAN MAYBE MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BUT I KNOW THAT MIGHT NOT, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF YOU OPENING YOUR DOORS TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE KNEW THAT YOU COULDN'T REALLY GET INVOLVED AS MUCH AS YOU COULD, BUT YOU STILL GAVE US A, A CHANCE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SHOWCASE WHAT WE REALLY WANNA DO.
UM, FROM THERE, THE SCHOOLS THAT WOULD BE BENEFITING ON TOP OF PINEY POINT AND HIGH LEVEL, WHICH WOULD BE FLEMING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND FIFTH WARD, CUL MIDDLE SCHOOL, KELSON, KELSO ELEMENTARY, UM, MADISON HIGH SCHOOL, MCGOWAN ELEMENTARY.
SO WE'RE REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHERE WE'RE TAKING THIS AND GOING TO UNDERSERVED AREAS ON PURPOSE TO BRING REPRESENTATION, NOT JUST FOR BLACK AND BROWN KIDS, BUT FOR BLACK AND BROWN TEACHERS, RIGHT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTUAL ADAPTATIONS TO THAT.
SO WE'LL BE BRINGING IN FINANCIAL LITERACY COACHES FOR THE ACTUAL TEACHERS IN ITSELF.
WE'LL BE HAVING MENTAL HEALTH PATHWAY PROGRAMS FOR THE STUDENTS IN ITSELF TOO, SO WE CAN TRACK AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING BIWEEKLY TO HOW WE CAN REALLY GET TO THE ROOT OF ACTUAL ISSUES.
OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT HEMI'S AND FOUNDATION NINE NINE ARE REALLY HELPING US DO THAT.
AND SO BRINGING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FROM THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR WITH COMMUNITY IS SUPER IMPORTANT FOR US.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT REALLY COMING IN AND RENOVATING CLASSROOMS, PUTTING MUSIC THERAPY SPACES IN SCHOOLS, AND ACTUALLY PUTTING ACTUAL RENOVATED TEACHER LOUNGE TOO.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE ARE OUR TWO MOST OPTIMAL GROUPS OF PEOPLE AT THE END OF THE DAY, MAYOR TURNER, COUNCIL MEMBER, ALL THE SUPERINTENDENTS HERE, Y'ALL ALL HAD TEACHERS AT SOME POINT.
SO FOR THEM NOT TO BE RECOGNIZED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, WE JUST THOUGHT JUST NEEDS TO BE RESURFACED.
SO WE ARE READY TO BRING CULTURE TO THE CLASSROOM.
UM, AND THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH MOCA PRODUCING CURRICULUM BASED CONTENT IS GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE BECAUSE IS THIS THEIR FREQUENCY? HOW THEY TAKING INFORMATION? SO WE WANNA ACCELERATE HOW THEY LEARN SO WE CAN REALLY REIMAGINE WHAT THE EDUCATION TO CAREER PATHWAY MODEL WILL BE FOR THE NEXT 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS.
I'M, I THOUGHT I WAS THE MAYOR FOR THE TIME.
UH, BUT I DO WANT TO, UH, MAKE A FEW ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
UH, AND THAT IS, UH, NICOLE IRVIN OF THE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, UH, WHO'S VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEN A, UM, AVERA KOSKA, UH, WHO'S OVER THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF MY EDUCATION.
AND WE WERE JUST HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH, UH, SUPERINTENDENT, UH, FOR THE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM.
BOTH SUPERINTENDENTS, QUITE FRANKLY, WERE HERE.
AND THEN, UH, THE PERSON WHO CHAIRS THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, UH, AND OUR CHILDREN, AND THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER ROS, UH, WHO'S HERE.
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AND IRONICALLY, I WAS JUST WITH HERF, UH, FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FIVE O'CLOCK WHERE THE FOCUS WAS ON KIDS AND THEIR ART.AND SO THAT WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL AND, UH, NOW TO BE STANDING, UH, WITH, UH, THESE TWO SUPERINTENDENTS.
SO LET ME, NOW, LEMME CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT MAYOR HO OF THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS A, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SO MANY KIDS TO BE ENGAGED.
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT LITERACY AND WE THINK ABOUT, UH, HIP HOP, UH, READING WITH A RAPPER AS AN OPPORTUNITY FROM A CULTURAL STANDPOINT FOR US TO REALLY STAND ON SOME DIFFERENT SHOULDERS, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANOTHER SUPERINTENDENT IN THE COUNTRY THAT, UH, HAS A, AN HIP HOP, UM, UM, REALLY, UH, OR JUST A COLLECTION, UH, LIKE I DO AS A STUDENT THAT GREW UP, UH, WITH DYSLEXIA.
IT WAS MUSIC, UH, FOR ME THAT REALLY MADE THE CONNECTIONS.
UH, SO THIS IS EXCITING TO, TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD AND, AND HAPPEN.
UH, I'D LIKE TO, TO START OFF, I'D JUST THANKING MAYOR, UH, FOR HIS CONTINUOUS SUPPORT OF NOT ONLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ALSO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TIFFANY THOMAS FOR SUPPORTING THE INITIATIVE IN PRIORITIZING LITERACY, UH, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
IF OUR STUDENTS CAN'T READ, UH, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER STEP IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE KNOW IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE'RE EXCITED TO, OF COURSE, CONTINUE THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH READING WITH A RAPPER BY EXPANDING, AS YOU'VE HEARD, TO, TO PINEY PINEY POINT ELEMENTARY.
I APPLAUD THE CREATIVITY, UH, IN THIS CAMPAIGN AS THE READING WITH A RAPPER PROGRAM STRIVES TO TEACH READING AND, AND WRITING TO, TO KIDS UTILIZING THAT MUSIC THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
UH, THEY'RE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH IT.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UTILIZE THAT FAMILIARITY AND, UH, AND UTILIZE IT FOR THE WAY, UH, INTO, UH, INTO THEIR LIVES AND THEIR HEARTS TO, UH, TO PROMOTE LITERACY.
WE APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THIS UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP AND THE COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHEN THE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES FOR ALL OR AS MANY STUDENTS IN H-I-S-D-A LEAF AS POSSIBLE.
I DO WANNA NOTE THAT, UM, UH, THESE COLORS THAT THEY GOT ON THIS BLACK AND GOLD, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S BEFITTING OF ALPHA ALPHA FRATERNITY INCORPORATED.
SO I DID, UH, YOU KNOW, I DID WANNA NOTE THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST IN BLACK HISTORY MATTER JUST KIND OF STANDS OUT AT YOU.
AND THEN, UH, ALL, ALL OF THE OF, OF INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH MY ADULT LITERACY, UH, IKA, UH, UH, EVERYBODY RAISE YOUR HAND.
'CAUSE I WANT TO THANK THAT'S THIS TEAM.
UH, WE ARE THE ONLY, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ADULT LITERACY IN THE, IN THE COUNTRY.
SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THEM.
NOW, LEMME BRING ON, UH, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF HTV, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, TED IRVINS, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE, UH, YOUR FRATERNITY BROTHER.
UH, FOR ALL THE NUKES THAT MAY BE IN THE HOUSE OR THE MAGOS THAT MAY BE IN THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE THEM IN BLACK HISTORY MOTHER AS WELL.
UM, BEFORE I ACTUALLY BEGIN TO SPIT, YOU KNOW, AND FLOW THOSE THAT, THAT DON'T KNOW, RAP SPIT MEANS TO KIND OF FLOW RAP.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A VIDEO THAT WE WANNA SHOW FIRST KIDS OF AMERICA ARE STRUGGLING WITH ILLITERACY.
THEY'RE GETTING THROWN OUT, LITERALLY MINOR INCIDENTS, BUT THEY'RE TREATED LIKE DEGENERATES.
THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE IS TEACHING THEM DELINQUENCY.
THESE STUDENTS WANT TO LEARN, BUT THEY'RE LOSING TIME IN CLASS, FALLING WAY BEHIND, MAKING IT SO TOUGH TO PASS, DROPPING OUTTA SCHOOL BY THE THOUSANDS.
7,000 KIDS A DAY ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.
EIGHT OUT OF 10 IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CANNOT READ OR WRITE DUE TO SUSPENSION.
THEY END UP IN JUVIE DETENTION WHERE THERE IS NO ONE WHO WANTS TO GO TEACH THEM.
THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF A BIGGER PROBLEM, BUT DON'T YOU WORRY, THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN READING WITH A RAPPER.
WE INTEND TO MEND THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS IN PRISON.
THAT WAY SOMEDAY WHEN THEY GET OUT, THEY CAN FIND THEIR WAY FORWARD WITH NO FEAR OR DOUBT, FIND THEMSELVES A JOB, A CAREER THAT PAYS READING, WRITING LIKE A BOSS.
AND I'LL JUST, UH, ECHO THE MAYOR'S, UH, SENTIMENT.
JUST THANK EVERYONE, UH, ESPECIALLY NICOLE.
THANK YOU AND JAREN FOR BRINGING SOME BOARD COUNCIL MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT HOUSE, AND MAYS, UH, AT HTV.
UH, WE ARE PART OF A FAMILY OF TV STATIONS OWNED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEND A SHOUT OUT TO OUR SISTER STATION THAT IS PARTICIPATING, H-I-S-D-T-V.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A PEG, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT CHANNEL, UH, TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL OUR TEAM IS THANKFUL THAT WE COULD BE A PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP
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TO WORK WITH YOU, JAR AND YOUR TEAM, AND NICOLE AND JEN KASKA AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.SO, UM, AND MAYOR, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, UH, THIS PROGRAM.
I'VE BEEN KNOWING HIM FOR A LONG TIME, HE AND HIS TEAM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO PUSHING THIS OUT.
AND I WOULD TELL YOU, DR. MAYS, I, I WOULD JUST BE REMISS TO HAVE ANOTHER SUPERINTENDENT, UH, FROM ONE OF OUR MAJOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND WITHOUT YOU AT LEAST COMING IN, SAYING HELLO THIS MORNING.
SO DR. MAY FROM THE A LEAF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO HELLO AND THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER FOR INVITING ME TO PODIUM.
I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO, TO VISIT WITH JEREMY AND HIS TEAM AS THEY'VE, UH, ATTENDED OUR SCHOOLS NCAA A CHALLENGE.
AND SO JUST WATCHING THE EXCITEMENT OF OUR STUDENTS.
UH, AND FOR ME, LIKE YOU SAY, HAVING A FONDNESS FOR LITERACY, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONNECT STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO READ AND GROW AS OFTEN AS WE CAN.
AND ESPECIALLY WE CAN DO IT THROUGH HIP HOP.
UH, AGAIN, I HAVE A NATURAL AFFECTION FOR READING, BUT FOR STUDENTS THAT DON'T, I THINK HIP HOP IS DEFINITELY THE AVENUE TO GET 'EM THERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
I'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT PARTNERING WITH THE ARTS, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE CAME TO MOCA, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE INTENTIONAL.
SO WORKING WITH INDEPENDENT ARTISTS IN HOUSTON AND GIVE THEM AN ACTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE WHO THEY WANT TO BE AND NOT SACRIFICE WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY, HOW THEY WANT TO SAY IT, AND STILL ACHIEVE COMMERCIAL SUCCESS.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT DOING.
SO WITHIN THAT BUDDY ROW TO THE LEFT OF ME, HE'S GONNA BE THE FIRST ARTIST THAT'S GONNA ACTUALLY BE STUDIED SCHOOL WIDE, AND HIS ALBUM IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE A CURRICULUM.
THE ALBUM'S CALLED LOST AND FOUND.
YES, HIS ALBUM WILL COME OUT, UM, MARCH 31ST, AND HE'S GONNA BE DOING SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS I CAN'T MENTION AT THIS TIME YET, BUT JUST KNOW THAT WE'RE COMING TOGETHER, PRIVATE, PUBLIC AND EDU COMMUNITY TO REALLY GIVE A ACTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR ARTISTS HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO HE'S GONNA BE THE FIRST, BUT NOT THE LAST TILL HE KICK THIS OFF FOR US.
SO I'M JUST REALLY WANTED TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW CERTAIN ARTISTS ARE BEING, YOU KNOW, CONVICTED FOR THEIR LYRICS OR THEY CAN'T REALLY HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, AND YOU HAVE AN ARTIST THAT ACTUALLY WANTS TO BE A PART OF THE CHANGE.
AND SO WITHIN THAT, THAT'S GONNA HELP US LAUNCH OUR FIVE YEAR CAMPAIGN TO CALL TURN TEXAS YELLOW TO BRING AWARENESS TO LOW LITERACY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE WANT TO REACH STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE.
AND, UH, YOU GOTTA FIND MANY, MANY WAYS OF, UH, GAINING STUDENTS INTEREST.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY CANNOT LEARN, IT'S JUST HOW TO GET THEM TO LEARN HOW TO TEACH THEM.
AND I JUST BELIEVE IF YOU CAN TEACH THEM, THEY WILL, THEY WILL LEARN.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT SMART, YOU JUST GOTTA LEARN HOW TO OPEN THE DOOR, OKAY? AND IT'S NOT THAT THEY DON'T WANNA READ, YOU JUST GOTTA FIND WAYS TO ASSIST THEM IN READING.
AND SO YOU GOTTA MEET THEM WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY ARE.
SO, UM, HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, I THINK WE'RE GONNA PAUSE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FEW PICTURES SO WE CAN HIGHLIGHT THIS BLACK AND GO AND, UM, AND, UH, LET IT, LET IT FLOW.