BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE: COUNTERING THE ENACTMENT OF SYSTEMIC WHITENESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION - HIP-HOP TOOLS AND PRACTICES

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact Hip-Hop culture can have on white faculty who are committed to interrogating their identity and the constructs of whiteness, as it relates to implementing a sustainable process to interrogate race as a critically self-reflective educator and the development of a culturally sustaining practice in urban educational spaces. This qualitative study aimed to capture the experiences of the participants and to inform future efforts that challenge whiteness and identity amongst community college faculty and their role as educators by exposing them to educational tools and practices of Hip-Hop culture. With an emphasis on whiteness, power and privilege, this study engaged white community college faculty to not only look at themselves as educators but also how their influence impacts students on campus. The study used a cypher method to have participants engage in a series of interviews and workshops. Findings from this study suggest that Hip-Hop Based educational practices can offer tools for educators to engage in identity work and provide an opportunity to engage race, power, and whiteness. The implications from the study offers scholars beginning steps for further study around the relationship between Hip-Hop as a tool to engage white faculty with race and critical self reflection. It also presents implications for educators looking to further explore Hip-Hop Based Education as a tool for culturally responsive education, building community and liberatory practices