Community Convening: HipHopEd Conference

Our commitment to community-centered education culminated in the inaugural two-day HipHopEd Conference at Teachers College on June 6–7, 2025.

Themed “Hip-Hop as Transformation: Empowering Education, Industries, and Communities,” this partnership with the nonprofit HipHopEd brings together educators, scholars, artists, and community leaders to explore hip-hop’s transformative potential across educational landscapes.

Through workshops, keynotes, and student performances, the conference examines hip-hop’s influence across sectors including technology, business, art, and activism. This gathering creates space for diverse knowledgeholders to collaborate and reimagine education from a community-first perspective.

The conference structure itself models how academic institutions can create forums where community wisdom is centered and valued, establishing a template for communityengaged scholarship that other institutions can adapt.