Hip-hop and Education: the Youth Reference Centre in Goiás
The CRJ seeks to provide information to the youth of Goiás on topics such as racism and violence against women through actions that involve hip-hop and education.
Credit: Disclosure
By: Gabriel Murga / Lupa do Bem – Favela em Pauta
The Youth Reference Centre (CRJ) program is managed by the non-governmental entity Centro de Cidadania Negra do Estado de Goiás – CENEG-GO, founded in 2003. A civil institution, of a cultural, environmental, educational, housing, social assistance and non-profit.
The institution was conceived to organize and improve the activities of its members, linked to the black social movement of Goiânia (GO), to the movements of peripheral youth, to the philosophy of hip-hop culture, privileging socio-educational and cultural actions with the young population in of socioeconomic vulnerability.
“The actions that are developed by the Centre for Black Citizenship of the State of Goiás (CENEG-GO) this institution that is the social manager of the Ponto da Cultura Hip hop Youth program of the State of Goiás and also of the reference centre or the Youth of the State of Goiás are programs that dialogue directly with the children and youth audience: children, adolescents and young people”, says Aluísio Arruda, president of CENEG-GO.
The CRJ is the program that aims to bring to the youth of Goiás, relevant information on important topics such as: sexually transmitted diseases (STIs and AIDS), racial discrimination, violence against women, combating drugs, combating bullying, combating homophobia and others. issues related to social integration. In addition, the initiative seeks to promote the social well-being of students and associates, with innovative pedagogical insertion practices – raising the awareness of children, adolescents and young people in the exercise of citizenship.
In the programs, social assistance, educational activities, arts activities and various types of sport are developed, such as Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and Capoeira.
“In the area of culture, we have the hip-hop culture workshops, our great passion and strength, which are the MC workshops; Rap music; Graphite; Breakdancing and DJ. The four elements that made us found this institution and in it we discovered how we should act with our rights and duties as citizens”, comments Arruda.
“We are social entrepreneurs and the great point of the activities is to motivate people, especially black, poor and peripheral youth. And in the area of entrepreneurship, several courses are given here at our headquarters. These activities are workshops and professional qualification courses and entrepreneurship courses”, he points out.
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The institution has partners such as the government of the state of Goiás, the municipal government of Goiânia, the Sebrae of Goiás and bodies of the Judiciary, such as the Public Ministry of Labor, the Public Ministry of Goiás and the State Court of Justice. “These are bodies that we establish work partnerships with and that collaborate with our management”, he comments.
During the pandemic, the Youth Reference Centre carried out several actions related to entrepreneurship. In August, youth month, an event was held in the Black Beauty area, where 180 young people from the periphery were assisted – through courses and workshops.
“This activity is also due to a partnership with the Ana Hickmann Institute, together with the Government of the state of Goiás. We were able to bring together countless young men and women to develop this Black Beauty activity, through courses on hairstyles, makeup and business management”, highlights Arruda.
The CRJ-Goiás and its roots
“We have been working on this site for over 10 years. I only say this place, because the institution has been founded for 18 years and we have been on the road for more than 30 years, right? I’m from the old guard of hip-hop culture from Goiás and we managed to found the institution in 2003”, highlights Arruda, who is also one of the founders of Sociedade Black, one of the pioneering rap groups in the state.
“At the headquarters where we are, we have only been in existence for ten years and we are here to develop this work, with our own headquarters, with these established partnerships. So, in the area of entrepreneurship we have been working and collaborating a lot. We have held entrepreneurial fairs in Goiânia for many years. We take the lemon, make the lemonade and work with the language that this community understands”, highlights the president of CENEG-GO, who continues.
“The methodology is also of paramount importance because it brings identification with the individual and we are part of the community. We count on the technical support of SEBRAE and other partners, but we have our own methodology and it has worked helping countless families, adolescents, young people and adults to tread their own businesses, succeed and increase their family income, which is the main objective of entrepreneurship” , concludes.
Hip-hop from the Street to the School
The project “Hip-hop from the Street to the School” serves public school children with art and education. It is a social action by Dj Senil, in partnership with the Youth Reference Center.
In this initiative, cultural workshops are held and a little of what is the peripheral culture of rap and hip-hop is shown, in addition to lectures on drug prevention. Elementary school children and adolescents are served.
Service
If you want to contemplate your educational institution, or visit the CRJ, please contact us by e-mail: contato@crjgoias.org.br.
