The Action Agenda of the National Hip Hop Political Convention
The National Hip Hop Political Agenda
The National Hip Hop Political Agenda (adopted after the 2006 National Hip Hop Political Convention)
1. Education
1.1: We call for state constitutional amendments and/or federal legislation mandating equal funding and resources. We call for parity spending in all public school districts-suburban, urban, and rural alike. We demand transparency in school budgets and for the creation of committees that include community members and officials to ensure that education moneys are spent for their proper purposes and are audited yearly. We call for the restoration and preservation of community control of schools, and for independent community-based commissions to assess and evaluate the quality of community ownership of schools. We demand monies be used for the recruitment and training of teachers that are residents of the district. We reject the idea that vouchers are a viable solution to the disparities in education. We support access for undocumented immigrants to higher education and support the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act).
1.2: We call for implementation of curriculum that is socially practical, culturally relevant, comprehensive, developmental, and specific in nature, including but not limited to vocational training, based upon engaging students from a variety of learning styles, interest, and skills.
1.3: We call for funding and legislation to develop programs toward the eradication of illiteracy of all people, including those that have English as a Second Language.
1.4: We demand free education at all state and federally owned and operated post-secondary institutions, including trade schools and technical schools and the direct recruitment and retention of students of color. We oppose all attacks on affirmative action programs at all levels of higher education, and demand rollback of tuition hikes and the immediate full restoration of all state and federal budget cuts that have been since the beginning of the War on Terror.
Action: All delegates should go back to their states and hold an education summit that would include parents, parent organizers, educators, community groups, elected officials and students for the purpose of speaking to and elaborating on the four platform issues in specific and general.
2. Economic Justice
2.1: We demand fair taxation with representation, including a rollback of tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, and advocacy for DC statehood. We demand that corporations that receive tax breaks and abatements from municipalities give two years notice of any move from those municipalities
2.2: We stand against gentrification in, disinvestment from, and displacement of our communities. We oppose the destruction of publicly funded and affordable housing. We call for mandatory investments in underdeveloped neighborhoods, through programs such as empowerment zones, public works jobs programs, small business administration, and/or tax abatements, subject to that community’s review. In addition, opportunities must be created to expand business opportunities for underrepresented minority businesses in urban areas.
2.3: We demand reparations for indigenous peoples (First Nations) and victims and descendants of the African Slave Trade, including funding to support institutions destroyed by slavery, Jim Crow, and eroded by centuries of institutional racism.
2.4: We demand full employment at living wages that help develop and empower our communities and individuals, with equal pay and advancement opportunities for women and men. We call for a Federal minimum wage with cost-of-living adjustment. We oppose all forms of economic violence. We call for the abolition of job discrimination and the end of punitive welfare and foster care policies.
Action: Delegates should return to their respective states and research and investigate all local and state businesses and corporations that have participated in the American Slave trade; have city and state elected officials pass municipal ordinances and state legislation that requires any company that does business with local or state government to disclose any profit it has made from the American Slave Trade. We will boycott all said businesses until a fair and equitable plan has been developed for reparations.
3. Criminal Justice
3.1: We demand the reinstatement and protection of all civil and human rights, including voting, employment, education, and economic opportunities for all individuals who have been accused and/or convicted through the criminal justice system. We demand the end of adult sentencing for individuals under 18.
3.2: We demand the reduction of all mandatory minimum sentences.
3.3: We demand the formation of civilian review boards with subpoena power and an independent prosecutor at all levels of the justice system including federal, state, local, and military.
3.4: We demand the end to the targeted persecution, prosecution and incarceration of youth, drug users, and political activists. We demand the release of Sundiata Acoli and other political prisoners who have served over 25 years.
3.5: We demand the end of corporate interest-driven prison systems. We demand a higher minimum wage for prisoners, and full reinstatement of arts and education programs.
4. Health and Wellness
4.1: We demand federal legislation that would institute free and equitable universal holistic healthcare, including affordable prescription drugs and equal access to hospitals for indigent communities.
4.2: We demand federal legislation that funds mental and emotional health awareness, research, and treatment.
4.3: We demand federal legislation that would increase funding for research, awareness, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS, heart disease, cancer, drug abuse, environmental health and other public health issues. We demand adequate firehouses, hospitals, and free clinics in our communities. We demand full evaluations, treatment, and care for communities with high asthma, cancer and airborne diseases. We demand viable clean air. We demand labeled GMO (genetically modified) foods.
4.4: We demand federal legislation to ensure women’s reproductive health, including safe and legal access to reproductive choices, and education and awareness about reproductive issues.
4.5: We advocate strongly for aggressive policy measures designed to protect adults, children and women from sexual harassment, sexual molestation, sexual assault, domestic violence and rape. We are particularly concerned with the violent effects of the prison-industrial complex and police misconduct and brutality. We stand for women’s personal autonomy.
Action: All delegates should go back to their states and hold a summit on the effect of HIV/AIDS on women in their communities that would include parents, parent organizers, educators, community groups, elected officials, and students, for the purpose of speaking to and elaborating on the four platform issues in specific and general. Out of the Summits a report will be produced on conditions and a demand for an investigation of the establishment of free health care to be presented to respective State Legislatures.
5. Human Rights
5.1: We call for the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that will investigate, research, report and reconciliate human rights violations committed by the United States government throughout its history. The findings of this commission shall be institutionalized within public records and educational textbooks and disseminated via all available forms of media and communication. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission shall be convened by members of the National Hip-Hop Political Convention, working in association with a coalition of historians, scholars, elders, and other experts, and evaluated within one year of our first gathering.
5.2: We call for the drafting, promotion, and presentation to local, state, federal legislators, and public policy makers the People of Color (African, Latino/a, Asian, Native Indigenous Peoples) Anti-Terrorism Bill. The passing of this bill will immediately abolish terrorism in all areas of human activity, including, but not limited to, areas of sex, law, war, education, entertainment, economics, politics, labor and religion. The People of Color Anti-Terrorism Bill will be drafted by members of the National Hip Hop Political Convention with special attention paid to inhuman conditions within the penal system, land grabs in the form of eminent domain and gentrification, and chemical and biological warfare.
5.3: We demand an end to militarization. We call for an end to the recruitment of our youth into the armed forces in public schools and other public institutions. We call for the immediate repeal of the Patriot ACT I and II and a redefinition of “homeland security” for people of color. The National Political Hip Hop Convention strongly opposes any entity-corporate, media, entertainment, or other-which attempts to use Hip-Hop culture to support the potential drafting of our youth into the military.
5.4: We demand the ending of U.S. Imperialism, beginning by pulling our youth out of occupied territories like Iraq , Afghanistan , Puerto Rico Haiti and Colombia . We demand the relief of previously colonized and enslaved Third World Countries from debt, structural adjustment programs, and forced austerity measures imposed on them by international lending institutions. We call for the end of military intimidation and monetary manipulation by these U.S.-led entities. We demand an end to all U.S. government aid and subsidies to Israel . We demand the immediate end to the U.S. construction and support of puppet governments, as in the Philippines , Haiti , and Colombia .
6. Womanism
6.1: We demand an immediate cease to all violence towards girls and women sexual, physical and emotional.
6.2: We call all men who have violent tendencies towards men to seek counseling and/or treatment. We call on all men to atone with their victims.
6.3: We demand to ceasation of mysogynistic images and lyrics created within the Hip Hop culture.
6.4: We will participate in the struggle against patriarchy and sexism. We will develop our understanding of the intersecting class, race and sexual forms of oppression.
Actions Item: We will facilitate community education on the problem and implications of patriarchy, sexism and misogyny.
Last updated by TJ Crawford Jun. 6, 2008.
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This site was created to help facilitate the successful development and implementation of a National Hip Hop Political Agenda.
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