Definitive Education (DEF ED)
Michelle "Crykit" Kolnik, Program Director:
Jennifer Burnett, Program Associate:
< Program Curriculum > < More Photos > < Class Schedule >
< BAYSIC PROJECT >
Program Mission: Our mission is to provide youth with the educational curriculum that promotes hip hop values of acceptance, non-violence, creative self-expression, and physical fitness. We teach students to value art and education ahd help them to make a connection between creative self-expression and education that they wouldn't otherwise dream possible.
History: Sarah Smalls founded Sisterz of the Underground (SOTU), an all female hip hop collective in January 2001. SOTU started working with all girls groups doing hip hop workshops. After about six months, they started working with co-ed groups and soon formed DEF ED. In August of 2005, DEF ED became a program housed under CELLspace.
Current Projects and Resources: We use the specific elements of hip hop, MCing, DJing, breaking, and street art, in schools, community centers, libraries, and live-in facilities. Some of our current sites include: PJCC, YMCA, Excelsior Library, Aim High, DJ Project, Bayview Safe Haven, Rock Paper Scissors Collective, Good for Kids, Berkeley Library, Making Waves, El Dorado Elementary, Street Academy, Galileo High School, East Oakland Community High, James Lick Middle School, McClymmonds High School, Everett Middle School, Sheridan Elementary, Bayview Library, Lick-Wilmerding High School, and many more. Check out our Program Curriculum and our Class Schedule.
Who's Involved?
Youth ages 6-26
How to get involved: