An Extraordinary Time

Hip hop began as an inner-city cultural movement by Latino and African American youth in New York City in the early 1970s. “Yes,Yes Y’All: The Birth of Hip Hop” is currently on exhibit through this summer at the Experience Music Project. According to senior curator Jacob McMurray “People didn’t have a lot of money for instruments but every kid’s Mom and Dad had a record player. They would manipulate the record player to become an instrument.”

 

New Futures, a non-profit organization, works within low-income apartment complexes in South King County.  For more information on New Futures check out www.projectlook.org/

 

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Shundra King, 18

I enjoy dancing.  I’ve been dancing for a long time.  Its more like my culture, just dancing.  So anything that has too do with dancing like hip hop and stomp I’m there. I really enjoy it. 

Its gives me confidence and makes me express myself.  A lot.  Like if I’m down or something, if I just get a good beat, it makes me feel so much better. Or maybe like I had a bad day or something and I just started dancing.  It really brings my spirits high. 

Its more like a dream to be here. I work here.  I was actually involved in a New Futures program when I was younger and I was like really, really bad.  And New Futures really changed my life. 

I’m a (high school) senior….. I think I’m a role model to all of the kids.  I have  (girls) kindergarten through 3^rd grade.

I think I’m teaching them to be confident in themselves because when we first started they were like really, really shy …  they know that they can do it. That’s something that makes me excited.

I’ll be going to Highline Community College to become a paralegal.  I’m going to major in family law, cuz I still want to be involved with kids, families, and stuff like that. 

I like my life. I’m just ready for college and to start working on my career …And I have like maybe 6 more weeks of school left.  I’m ready to graduate.

The kids encourage me too.  Because its just exciting being around all of them.  

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