ONE MIC EDUCATORS, 2023 Finalist
ONE MIC EDUCATORS is a multi-disciplinary arts education enterprise dedicated to engaging the disengaged through the arts. It prioritizes Black, Indigenous and Latin American artists. It employs Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy as well as Hip Hop as Critical Pedagogy in its workshops and operates with the mandate to build Immigrant Indigenous Friendship always.
To learn more about ONE MIC EDUCATORS, read on below.
Describe the work of your organization, and why this work is important.
Our organization has engaged well over one thousand youth in the arts for over 7 years. We have mobilized hundreds of youth to the territory of Six Nations of the Grand River for intercultural and cross-cultural exchanges, executed deliverables with the Ontario Arts Council and ran youth leadership groups for the Toronto District School Board. We have launched the Journey 2 Manhood and Kings for Consent series to dismantle toxic masculinity, and we are also currently in the 7th edition of the LA3 Raza Open Mic series designed to feature Black, Indigenous and Latin American artists while actively working to build Immigrant Indigenous Friendship. We have a very special partnership with the River Rockz youth organization in Six Nations and are aiming to expand our presence on the international level this year. We have facilitated arts-based youth consultations for the Anti-Racism secretariat of Canadian Heritage and Michaelle Jean Foundation as well as a vital community consultation for the Toronto Police Department which was recognized by former Chief of Police James Ramer. We have recommended grassroots organizations to contracts with the Federal Department Of Justice for youth consultations. We have also supported our past alumni on their paths to become professional artists in their own right. We are most proud of crowdfunding thousands of dollars to grassroots initiatives over the years through our LA3 Raza open mic series. Among the beneficiaries were an all Indigenous slam poetry team, families affected by gun violence, death of loved ones, an Indigenous youth centre and a local foodbank. All of this work is important because it has the capacity to reach those in society who feel abandoned and neglected by the system through the arts. We are able to navigate difficult conversations and provide concrete data to the very system the youth may at times feel harmed by. I once heard a phrase "if you don't have a seat at the table, then you're on the menu." ONE MIC EDUCATORS has been actively building tables since our inception and ensuring our message travels far and wide. We have also worked hard to connect our Immigrant audiences with our Indigenous families thereby providing multiple opportunities to build friendships with the very people whose lands we are all uninvited guests on.
Tell us what it means to be recognized as a Toronto Arts Foundation Award finalist.
Being recognized as a Toronto Arts Foundation award finalist means that our hard work is being recognized by the people with the power to affirm the integrity of our labour. It means that even though as a racialized community we have at times been abandoned, neglected and injured by societal structures, there are elements of power willing to uplift our struggle to exist, thrive and overcome. Elder Louis March of Zero Gun Violence Movement always says our communities are not underserved, they are poorly served. We have worked hard to ensure we are part of the solution and not adding to the problem. Much of what we have accomplished as an entity has been without major funding and with very limited profit. Our LA3 Raza series has run at a financial deficit for years but yet filled the hearts of thousands. Winning this award will cement our message that you don't need funding to do great work and create amazing art. In fact, doing great work and creating amazing art without regard to the funding will deliver the results many dream of. Being recognized as a finalist means that we have put the horse in front of the cart. We thank you for this recognition.