WBL Journal

Our MissionWe are unapologetic advocates for the transformative power of hip-hop culture in all itsforms, empowering artists to relentlessly create and refine systems that demonstrate positivechange through our individual and collective brilliance. We embrace the sacred nature of ourwork and our roles as keepers and innovators of our culture.

Our Vision We create arts based educational experiences that equip youth, arts managers, teaching artists and scholars to move from theory to practice. We harness the power of the imagination to reshape the lives and communities we serve. Our Values• Education:    Hip-­‐Hop  is  a  powerful  teaching  tool  because  it  engages  people  intellectually,   creatively  and  socially.  • Opportunity:    Educators,  artists,  activists  and  scholars  in  Hip-­‐Hop  require  access  to  the   tools  and  information  necessary  to  build  their  skills,  knowledge  and  experiences  into   tangible  results  and  solutions  for  individuals  and  communities.  • Ownership:    Artists  and  communities  should  be  the  primary  owners  of  the  cultural   artifacts  they  produce,  archive  and  present.  • Creativity:    Educators,  artists,  activists  and  scholars  develop  and  protect  environments   of  innovation.  

Our Work and ApproachWords Beats & Life began as a Hip-Hop conference at the University of Maryland in the fallof 2000; our founders worked to create a vehicle to propel individual lives and communities through Hip-Hop. Today, Words Beats & Life uses a holistic approach to youth and community development that involves Hip-Hop artists, scholars, educators, activists, and allies. We fulfill our mission through 5 programmatic areas: