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Writing Frame Form

Just like a picture hung on the wall looks the best when it is displayed in a frame that “fits” the picture, so too is writing at its best when it is written to fit inside its “frame.” The “frame” for writing consists of elements of the writing situation—your audience, your purpose, the genre in which you’re writing, and the time period in which you’re writing. These four elements compose a “frame” that allow you to craft the most effec-tive piece of writing possible for the particular writing situation which you are attempting to address.

For each piece you write in this class you will be asked to identify the “frame” in which you’re writing.Answer the following questions:

1. Who is your audience—in other words, who are you trying to write to? Be SPECIFIC! Don’t just say “general audience.”

Professors and college instructors, fellow colleagues, future colleges, employers, as well as teachers, policy makers and administrators in connection to education reform. I also intend for this to be available to scholarship review boards, as well as applicable to my Honor’s Program coursework.

2. What is your purpose—in other words, what effect do you want to have on your reader?

Inspire reader’s to re-frame the way they view hip-hop culture and recognize the contributions that this unconventional person, GZA, has introduced. Also, to high-light the system’s exclusion from Black American culture being represented in math and sciences, therefore losing a large section of the population in the con-versation about these subjects. I hope to highlight historical issues such as ex-pectations of assimilation of culture and how that has bled into education. I want to engage the reader in thinking about Black American rhetoric exemplified by GZA, while weaving in ways in which White rhetoric have failed to see the value in the same thing said differently. I also have the goal of addressing how a main-stream Eurocentric curriculum linguistically fails to serve students of color in hav-ing equal access to a quality education, therefore a system of inequality and in-justice is currently in function.

3. What genre are you writing in? What are some of the conventions of this genre that might be important to consider as you begin your writing process?

Argumentative academic writing. I will use cited sources complete with a Works Cited page, my essay will be double spaced with a title and size 12 font. It will have a header complete with my name date, instructor and course title. All of my

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evidence will be warranted and connected to my claim. I will have a conclusion which briefs the reader as well as addressing nay-sayers or discrepancies.

4. How is your topic relevant to your audience NOW in the time period in which you’re writing?

Statistics prove that urban youth often are unengaged in the current framework that our educational system uses in today’s classroom. GZA, hip-hop extroide-naire, and Dr. Christopher Emdin, Assistant Professor at Columbia University for Science Education have teamed up to reengage urban youth of color to find in-spiration in the scientific world around them by the use of rhyme cypher. This rev-olutionizes the way hip-hop is considered, specifically in the academic setting. It also is a first step in a more genuine inclusion of black american culture into the academic setting, and ultimately, american culture. GZA is able to authentically represent himself in the Black community through his already established cre-dentials from his rap career. He is rooted in the hip-hop and Black community, of-ten spinning metaphors relating to Black American life. Yet, he is then able to dis-cuss matters relating to physics and science education, therefore he walks both sides of the contact zone.

5. Given your audience and purpose, what kinds of evidence/support will you need/use to develop your purpose convincingly for your audience?

Linguistic studies on Ebonics and AAVE. Statistics, history of the contact zone and definition, explanation of Science Genius, who GZA is, and explain BA rhetoric. I also will have to take into account that my topic may be perceived as contentious. Therefore, I must remain aware of who my audience is if I want to engage in a dialogue with others, instead of preaching to the choir.

6. How will you use YOUR own voice in this piece of writing? Why is YOUR voice impor-tant in this piece of writing?

By using I statements. My voice is important because it shows my critical thinking and analysis. It transforms a collection of other people’s pieces of work into a conversation which I am apart of. Therefore, I develop additional theories and in-sights into some thing already being built. I open up a dialogue through saying my piece in my voice. Specifically, my voice is important in this writing because I hope to be an educator who would like to support marginalized students in devel-oping a curriculum that represents them as active learners.

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Minette Roberts

Sara Lushia

WR122_H

5 December 2014

Fighting Black Injustice in Academia : Hip-Hop’s Secret Weapon

With the recent killing of an unarmed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, race

relations are at, yet again, a historical all time high. The people of Ferguson have re-

ceived a devastating blow to their community with the loss of a young life at the hands

of a predominantly White law enforcement. Feelings of marginalization and institutional

discrimination within the Black community have been exacerbated by a grand jury’s fail-

ure to indict the officer involved in the exchange with Michael Brown, a member of their

community. With emotions and resentments intensified into a full blown race war,

Michael Brown’s parents have released a plea to those equally outraged by the event

and the final outcome. Brown’s mother and stepfather have asked, “I do not want my

son's death to be in vain. I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change” (cite).

Although perspectives vary on the issue and opinions are personal and run deep,

it is, at the very least, plausible that a young man did not need to lose his life. Whether

one wants to blame the officer involved, or Michael Brown’s life trajectory, maybe some-

where along the line there was the potential for change. As a future educator who just

recently thought the most important reform in education needed to be more child led ex-

ploration and play, this event has humbled me in my pedagogical path toward being a

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better educator. Lead by the wisdom of Brown’s Mother, "that you channel your frustra-

tion in ways that will make a positive change” (cite), I am committed to exploring ways in

which society could have kept Michael Brown alive.

Why is this important? Statistics display the efforts to defy America’s institutional

racism and discrimination aren’t adequate for Black youth. Historically there have been

transparent inequalities within the socioeconomic system which has excluded Black

America. Social stratification is, “the structured ranking of entire groups of people which

perpetuates unequal rewards and power in a society” (Schaefer 14). Within this paper, I

will regularly refer to “minority” and “dominant" groups. Specific to my purpose, these

terms are used to reference power relationships in relation to concepts of equality, and

not used to define race or ethnicity. Although, power dictates the socially constructed

ideas of race and so they are therefor inner-connected, I believe.

The importance in identifying these power differentials is explained by Professor

of Cultural and Social Analysis at NYU and MLA expert, Mary Pratt. In her work, Pratt

uses her knowledge of literature, linguistics and culture to discuss a concept she calls

the “contact zones”. Pratt defines a contact zone as, “a term to refer to social spaces

where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other, often in contexts of highly

asymmetrical relations of power” (34). The importance of defining these social spaces

where asymmetrical exchange occurs is significant to my purpose since the Black com-

munity feels outraged by evidence viewed as institutional racism, implemented and en-

forced by Anglo dominant America. Therefore, as a privileged White educator, I feel a

responsibility in supporting the Black community in dismantling both the feelings and re-

alities of systematic oppression via the use of the tools I have access to.

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Personally, I am committed to addressing the ongoing systematic injustice which

has manifested itself in the academic reality, and it seems I am not alone. Hip-hop artist

GZA (jiz-uh), born Gary Grice but better known as “The Genius”, is a member of the

WuTang Clan. Together they are a group of prolific emcees whose work has achieved

top chart albums while earning themselves a large and committed fan base. GZA is us-

ing his fame from his WuTang affiliation to advocate for Black urban youth by develop-

ing a pilot program with the name of Science Genius. Currently operating in ten New

York City urban public schools, Science Genius is using hip-hop rhyme cypher as the

vehicle to teach participating Black American youth their school’s accredited science

curriculum. Students are graded on their individual understanding of the presented con-

cepts through the “content, lyrics, storytelling ability, flow and the complexity of

metaphors” (Rand III) used in their recitations of the materials covered in class. GZA

himself attends participating schools regularly to instruct teachers on incorporating hip-

hop into their lesson plans. He also acts as a mentor by checking in with the students’

progress.

The Science Genius program helped me in defining the contact zone specific to

my intentions. As a future educator who has began to grapple with the barriers that all

student’s may encounter in successfully getting an education, exploring ways to ensure

all my students are adequately represented within their curriculum has become my pri-

ority. Therefore, I have narrowed my contact zone to be between January 2010-Decem-

ber 7th 2014. This is a result of my research, which identifies 2010, from my knowledge,

as being the onset of the Science Genius concept. This contact zone date runs to De-

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cember 7th due to my deadline. Although specific to Science Genius, it is integral to un-

derstand that GZA is my focus, which I will elaborate on soon.

The key player surrounding this contact zone is GZA. Already establishing his

credentials in the Black community through his rap career, GZA already has the atten-

tion of his intended audience and, therefore, takes the opportunity to extend the dia-

logue outside of the hip-hop atmosphere and into the classroom setting. GZA success-

fully both engages and educates his urban audience through utilizing a framework that

reflects both their interests and traditions while simultaneously educating students on

scientific theory and phenomenon. Using his fame and urban appeal, GZA straddles this

specific contact zone I previously have identified by being both a part of a mainstream

urban Black experience while mutually articulating the traditional Western academic

agenda and expectations. GZA is significant to this specific contact zone because

through the academic use of hip-hop he is the empowerment of Black urban youth by

inviting validity to Black rhetoric and linguistic traditions in a formally Eurocentric based

curriculum, while cleverly exposing the deeper structures of Black American culture.

In a formally dominant-centered curriculum, GZA himself proves to be a personal

testament for the phenomenon which fails to nurture and engage Black culture in this

traditional setting. Brought up in the boroughs of New York City, Gary Grice was recog-

nized for his lyrical wit and complex metaphorical abilities since a young age. Grice was

always “curious about the physical world but bored with school. Hip-hop became his

outlet for showing off intellectually” (Leland). Having dropped out of school by the 10th

grade, GZA explains, “I was not readily exposed to science. It wasn’t until my music ca-

reer matured that I began to pursue, or I was exposed to science as an intellectual pur-

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suit… Yet still as a child I still wondered about the static on the carpet, or the tinfoil that

was on the TV antennae” (TEDxTeen). Here GZA references his natural curiosity in sci-

ence through organic observations made as a young boy. Yet despite these natural cu-

riosities, his interests went un-nurtured and his attention was lost in his traditional aca-

demic setting. He, I claim, is a narrative of Black American youth excluded from the Eu-

rocentric based education.

These efforts of GZA’s to challenge the current dominant centered framework of

urban education are joined by ally Dr. Christopher Emdin. Emdin is the Assistant Pro-

fessor of Science Education at Columbia University and is Director of Secondary School

Initiatives in the Urban Science Education Center. He is also the Author of Urban Sci-

ence Education for the Hip-Hop Generation. Emdin uses his background to specialize in

teacher-training methods which engage urban youth of color in the field of Science,

Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (S.T.E.M) (“Academics”). In his work,

Emdin is an academic activist who believes that Black youth are underrepresented in

science literacy. Next to GZA, Dr. Christopher Emdin works at developing teachers’ un-

derstandings of hip-hop pedagogy whom have classrooms participating in the Science

Genius program. He is addressing academia, unlike GZA who engages directly with ur-

ban youth culture. This is revolutionary, since youth culture is often dissected and dis-

cussed though never engaged in the dialogue itself.

Emdin explains the concept of Science Genius by stating, “It considers cultural

relevance, but takes the approach a bit further by requiring the teachers' cultural immer-

sion and constant ingestion of the cultural outputs of the students' culture" (Emdin 99).

GZA is so critical to the contribution to this conversation because he bridges the acces-

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sibility of a traditionally Eurocentric western education to now include Black urban youth,

as defined by Black American students themselves. Specifically, this is achieved

through his use of Black linguistic rhetorical elements in the classroom curriculum, for-

mally framed by Standard English. Yet, I believe that GZA builds on this shared philoso-

phy by not only defining Black American youth culture, but also embodying it himself

through his hip-hop persona and career.

Despite GZA’s authenticity in the Black urban youth community, dominant-Amer-

ica often fails to recognize the value in hip-hop culture. During a TEDtalk lecture GZA

addresses this common assumption that hip-hop represents an “inferior or a lower lan-

guage” (TEDxTeen). This concept is explained by Rickford and Rickford whom shed

light on the origins of such linguistic discriminations against marginalized America:

“Characterizations of the former as careless or lazy, and of the latter as careful or re-

fined, are subjective social and political evaluations that reflect prejudices and precon-

ceptions about the people who usually speak each variety” (92). This definition of such

linguistic perceptions reinforces my sentiment earlier on suggesting the social stratifica-

tion of Black America. As stated earlier this is, “the structured ranking of entire groups of

people which perpetuates unequal rewards and power in a society” (Schaefer 14). And

with statistics proving Black youth’s disengagement in academia, I have begun to make

connections which suggest a social justice urgency for reframing this Eurocentric edu-

cational model which reinforces the marginalization of Black America.

Returning back to Pratt, she addresses the systematic habits of a power domi-

nant society which has the privilege to disregard external linguistics not utilized by

elected players. This perspective of privilege therefore silences the voices of the non-

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dominant groups. This concept is critical in understanding the effects GZA’s presence in

the classroom has for Black youth. Here Pratt explains this theory,

When linguistic (or literate) interaction is described in terms of orderliness,

games, moves, or scripts, usually only legitimate moves are actually

named as part of the system, where legitimacy is defined from the point of

view of the party in authority-regardless of what other parties might see them

as doing (Pratt 38).

Mary Pratt’s concept of the contact zone articulates the social stratification of language

and linguistics, which are defined by Anglo America. Yet I believe that GZA is actively

defying this previous systematic oppression in academia by implementing a form of les-

son planning that addresses the cultural patterns and interests of Black American youth.

A graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi, LaQuita N. Gresham dis-

cusses this concept regarding linguistic discrimination mentioned by Pratt. Laquita pub-

lished her Honors College theses in May 2014 titled, Don’t You Be Telling Me How Tah

Talk: Education, Ebonics, and Code-switching. LaQuitas thesis explores the benefits of

using 1Ebonics and African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) as a tool to enhance

Black student’s proficiency in Standard English. Her research discusses the dialectal

prejudism evident in today’s Western standard classroom curriculum.

Our contact zone is discussed by LaQuita and is highlighted in this passage of

her thesis, ”2Code-switching is a pedagogical tool that can be used to encourage cul-

1 Briefly, African American Vernacular and Ebonics are two terms to refer to the linguistic, infor-mal, yet fully developed every day language used within the Black community. Historically speaking, the development is the result of African contact due to chattel slavery trade. In a de-sire to create psychic distance from their oppressors, displaced and enslaved African Ameri-can’s developed a complex and stylistically ranging form of speech. This was a matter of geo-graphically displaced African American communities developing power through coded, clever linguistics.2 AAVE or Ebonics fused with Standard American English

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tural pride while teaching students to master Standard American English. This process

could encourage Black children in a way that does not stigmatize their speech while al-

lowing them to gain the necessary tools to succeed in the professional realm and soci-

ety—a predominately White society" (42). GZA is so significant to this contact zone be-

cause he successfully implements LaQuita’s earlier mentioned thesis. He de-stigma-

tizes Black American linguistics through the integration of hip-hop as both a teaching

and learning tool, which previously has failed to contain the cultural structures of Black

America. And, when hip-hop is interwoven into lesson plans it invites more “equal ac-

cess to the rules of the game, actions therefore legitimized” (Lecture, Lushia). There-

fore, Laquita’s thesis supports GZA’s significance to this contact zone by supporting the

claim that Black urban youth’s academic success is dependent upon, the very least, lin-

guistic inclusion. These elements present in both GZA’a teachings and LaQuita’s thesis

are utilized to increase Black student engagement and achievement through linguistic

inclusion and thus, academic empowerment and, ultimately, equality.

In terms of equality, the concept that Black American linguistics could be a vehi-

cle for social justice reform is supported by the author’s of Critical Multimodal Hip Hop

Production: A Social Justice Approach to African American Language and Literacy

Practices. Authors Turner, Hayes, and Way are social justice educators for equality at

the University of Massachusetts—Amherst. Their research contributes to the conversa-

tion regarding GZA because their work supports, “a critical pedagogical approach to hip-

hop language and literacy practices and engages youth in thinking about their own lan-

guage, communities, and the media in increasingly critical/social justice-oriented ways

(343).” The program and research by Turner, Hayes and Way suggests the use of

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African American language and literacy, via hip-hop, as a social justice approach effect-

ing the Black community. This piece of literature expands on my claim that GZA’s efforts

to introduce hip-hop into urban curriculums has the potential to have transformative ef-

fects for Black American youth by claiming a social justice impact.

Aside from inciting social justice, GZA’s work also successfully incorporates the

deeper structures of Black American culture into the classroom. Integral to African tradi-

tion is oral storytelling. Turner, Hayes, and Way state, “African American linguistic tradi-

tions, like 3toasting and signifying, and African literacy traditions whereby griots (or po-

ets) maintained history of communities through memorization and storytelling, are cen-

tral to Afro-Diasporic roots of hip hop and have been well established in the literature”

(342). Therefore, GZA has cleverly introduced indigenous African tradition into a previ-

ously Anglo-based curriculum. GZA has transformed Science Genius from an engage-

ment tool into a process of cultural empowerment and integration. This I claim identifies

GZA’s significance to our identified contact zone by, through hip hop, has resulted in

cleverly weaving African history into Black urban youth’s present.

Emdin also uses historical reference in his work to articulate hip-hop encompass-

ing aspects of African tradition. Through 4signifyin’, exaggerated language, image-mak-

ing and indirection Emdin describes the cultural traditional differences in White and

Black church sermons; “White folks go to chu’ ch. An’ he never crack a smile; An nigger

to chu ‘ch and you hear im’ laugh a mile” (Emdin 13). Here, Emdin is able to display the

significance of a multi-modal, interactive and engaging learning/teaching framework for

3 Toasting and Signifying are, as explained by 4 Signifyin’, exaggerated language, image-making and indirection, again, are classic rhetorical elements within Black culture.

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Black American youth via use of these Black American 5rhetorical devices. Speaking to

the larger issues, these song lyrics are translated by Emdin to describe to the reader the

deeper structures rooted in African American tradition and experience, relevant to to-

day’s Black urban youth. Through Black American rhetorical devises, this is achieved by

discussing the significance of interactive, equalized experiences which engage and em-

power the individual and community through Black rhetorics in the church sermon. This

is commonly referred to as “call and response” within Black communities.

Emdin here highlights another aspect of GZA’s significance to the identified con-

tact zone. He, through the interactive elements of hip-hop rhyme cypher, has equalized

learning opportunities to extend to Black American youth via the learning style identified

by their culture. And in a previous traditional educational framework designed by domi-

nant, detached Anglo America, GZA is actively challenging this previous institutional

disparity. GZA redefines an educational system that has effectively excluded Black

youth from having access to an educational framework that consists of essentially no el-

ements which would suggest inclusion of Black culture or experience.

GZA is responsible for successfully developing a social justice curriculum to in-

creasing Black urban youth achievement. He has successfully done this through the

subliminal use of elements of African traditions. Whether it be the linguistic and rhetori-

cal habits originating from African tradition or adaptation, or a framework which chal-

lenges the traditional lecture and recitations style prevalent in America’s schools but

rooted in African tradition, GZA has redefined the classroom setting to include Black

american youth. In an attempt to engage urban youth in science literacy, GZA has clev-

erly developed a program that embodies a myriad of elements defined by Black Amer-

5 Rhetorics are another term to refer to linguistic norms and styles within the Black community

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ica themselves. Although, he does this with the wit and metaphorical grace inherent to

hip-hop itself. And, as we’ve learned, this is true for Black American rhetorics as well.

It was during a lecture that GZA told his young captivated audience, “Science is a

way to increase our understanding about the physical universes and the more we open

up to the universe, the more it opens up to us” (TEDxTeen). So, for Michael Brown,

maybe his world hadn’t opened up to him. Having struggled to successfully complete

school himself, what barriers prevented him from an education which he didn’t have to

fight for? Although speculation, I remind you that as a future educator, these are the dis-

parities I examine.

A journalist for The Guardian, Isabel Wilkerson, wrote following the wake of

Michael Brown’s death that, “The ‘savage’ of history has become the ‘thug’ of 2014. In-

justice is so banal that we hardly notice it happening” (Wilkerson). If Wilkerson is accu-

rate about her description pertaining to dominant placed labels projected onto Black

America, dismantling a system of marginalization which had labeled Michael Brown as a

“thug” is critical in healing a community devastated by this outcome. Now, I will leave it

to the metaphorical grace of The Wu-Tang Clan to shed light on how Cash Ruled Ev-

erything Around Me (C.R.E.A.M),

It's been twenty-two long hard years of still struggling

Survival got me bugging, but I'm alive on arrival

I peep at the shape of the streets

And stay awake to the ways of the world cause shit is deep

A man with a dream with plans to make cream

Which failed; I went to jail at the age of fifteen

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A young buck selling drugs and such who never had much

Trying to get a clutch at what I could not touch

The court played me short, now I face incarceration

Pacin' - going upstate's my destination

Handcuffed in the back of a bus, forty of us

Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough

But as the world turns I learned life is hell

Living in the world no different from a cell

Cash rules everything around me.

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WORKS CITED

"Academics." Christopher Emdin. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.

Emdin, Christopher. Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation. Ed. Kenneth

Tobin and Catherine Milne. Rotterdam: Sense, 2010. Print.

Gresham, LaQuita N. "Don't You Be Telling Me How Tah Talk: Education, Ebonics, and

Code-switching." Thesis. The University of Southern Mississippi, 2014.

Http://aquila.usm.edu/. Digital Commons, May 2014. Web. 1 Nov. 2014.

LaQuita N.

Leland, John. "A Hip-Hop Experiment." The New York Times. The New York Times, 17

Nov. 2012. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.

Pratt, Mary Louise. "Arts of Contact Zone." Modern Language Association (1991): 33-40. Print.

Rand III, Martin. "Professor: Enter the Wu-Tang to Teach High School Science."

Schools of Thought RSS. Cable News Network, 19 Nov. 2012. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.

”TEDxTeen.com - GZA & Science Genius - "The Genius of Science"" TEDxTeen.com -

GZA & Science Genius - "The Genius of Science" N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct.

2014.

Turner, K. C. Nat, Nini Visaya Hayes, and Kate Way. "Critical Multimodal Hip Hop Pro-

duction: A Social Justice Approach to African American Language and Liter-

acy Practices." Equity & Excellence in Education 46.3 (2013): 342-54. Taylor

& Francis Online. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.

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"Watching Neil DeGrasse Tyson Connect with Rapper GZA - StarTalk Radio Show by

Neil DeGrasse Tyson." StarTalk Radio Show by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.

Wilkerson, Isabel. "Mike Brown’s Shooting and Jim Crow Lynchings Have Too Much in

Common. It’s Time for America to Own up." Theguardian.com. The Guardian, 25 Aug.

2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

"Wu-Tang Clan." Biography at Wu-Tang Corp. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014.