The Muslim Student Association of Sarah Lawrence
College in New York has gathered a distinct group of activists, artists, and
performers together to rally on Saturday, November 23, in response to the degrading
images of women in mainstream rap music and popular culture.
Jurrasic 5’s Akil, Jorge "Fabel" Pabon
(Senior V.P. of the Rock Steady Crew), Mahdi Bra, Meqqa (spoken word artist),
former Def Jam President Carmen Asshurst-Woodard and many others will participate
in the 5 hour rally which starts at 2 p.m.
The rally is free and open to the public and
the purpose of the rally is to spark conscious awareness and questioning of
the daily images of women in popular entertainment, and to decontextualize the
role and effects of these images on individuals and society as a whole.
Tauheeda Yasin, chair of the Muslim Student Association
and event coordinator, expressed that she thought that it was important for
the Muslim Student Association to speak up about this.
"As Muslims, we are against injustice anywhere,
and we can’t turn our backs to the fact that popular culture has an effect on
everyone," Yasin said. "Muslims are seeing their children being influenced
by hip-hop and other popular culture, and they are becoming more aware that
it isn’t enough to just turn off the TV. We have to speak up about
these images and become aware of the effect that images like these play into
public policy and popular opinion."
After the rally, attendees will be able to ask
the speakers and performers questions and engage in dialogue about solutions
to the problem, and individual ways students, teachers, parents, and consumers
can act to counter the effects.
"When policy makers go into rooms to make
policy, popular culture is floating around in their heads. The bias button isn’t
somehow turned-off. The vast majority of the images we see in hip-hop portray
African-Americans and Latinos, as brutish, materialistic, ignorant, and over-sexed.
These images further a historical stereotyping of African-Americans in particular
and now, also Latinos. These images and attitudes in reference to women become
internalized by African-American, Latino, and Asian youth, and increasingly
suburban White-American youth as well. They internalize these attitudes in reference
to women, which justifies calling women by derogatory names, and committing
physical or psychological abuse. It is important we address this, and the rally
is one of the best ways to start the conversation," said Yasin.
More info is below:
Saturday, November 23rd, Sarah Lawrence College
1 Mead Way, Bronxville NY
Reisinger Auditorium
2 pm – 7 PM , FREE to the Public. Video Cameras Welcome!
Featured Speakers and Performers:
The Hammer Bros. (Mustaphysical and Omasik/Queens-based
Palestinian emcees)
Tha Iron Triangle (BulletProof Soul, Sunnah:4, and T.O.L. from Cleveland)
Akil (Jurassic 5)
Carmen Asshurst-Woodard (former President of Def Jam Recordings)
Maspyke (DJ Roddy Rod, Hanif "H-Bomb", Jamiyl and Tableek)
Jorge "Fabel" Pabon (Tools of War/Senior V.P. of the Rock Steady Crew)
Christie Z-Pabon (Tools of War: Publicist & Event Coordinator
Mahdi Bray (Executive Director, MAS Freedom Foundation)
Hakim Sabree (New Africa Intelligencia)
Rev. Graylan Hagler (United Plymouth Congregational Church)
Meqqa (Spoken Word Artist)
Demetria Royals (Filmmaker)
Aisha Al-Adawiya (Women In Islam)
Jamila Jihad-Wahhaj (Activist & wife of Imam Siraj Wahhaj)
For more information contact: Tauheeda Yasin,
Event Coordinator: ConsciousPeople@aol.com
For directions www.slc.edu or www.mapquest.com
or call 914-395-2209