By Kennedy Wood
Community Relations Staff Member
About a month ago, I got the opportunity to talk to the president of the Hip Hop Congress, James Ortiz Jr., along with several other members of this organization. We were able to speak to each other about the impacts of this organization and any important information that potential members should know.
Hip Hop Congress (HHC) is a student organization that wants to connect people through creativity, social activism and cultural expression. HHC is a place where students can channel their energy into being creative in a supportive environment that, in the end, betters the community. HHC wants to combat the negative stereotypes of hip-hop by creating something that highlights the positive attributes of this genre.
“Hip Hop Congress is a multicultural, community-service-based org that strives to unite cultures through the art of hip hop, and music in general,” said Ortiz.
Going to college can be a nerve-racking experience, but it’s even worse if you get there and feel as though you don’t belong with anyone. Joining organizations like HHC can be a great first step in getting to know others with similar interests and finding the right environment for you to thrive in.
Jennifer Romero and Joel Somich shared the benefits of joining this organization, including gaining a sense of belonging and making connections.
“HHC is a great place to meet other artists and build connections locally. If you’re just a fan of the music, HHC is a great place to indulge in your appreciation with like-minded individuals,” said Somich.
HHC is a great organization for anyone with an interest to join regardless of age or experience. They want everyone to know that they are open to all students of any background who are interested in anything that this organization has to offer.
“HHC is open to people of all majors, backgrounds, anything! You don’t have to make music to join,” said events coordinator Rachel Owens. “This organization is for any and everybody who has the same mindset as us, people who want to make change, regardless of whether it involves music or not because we do things that aren’t related to music, as well.”
Typically, in a meeting, they will discuss events that they are planning, member meeting ideas and things they can do to improve the organization. They also plan games for the members to play and have discussions about current events happening in the music industry. Although COVID-19 has put life on hold, HHC is already making plans for when we have normalcy once again.
“As a result of COVID, our organization has had trouble with planning events and member meetings. Unfortunately, a lot of things have been out of our control because of the virus,” said membership recruiter Cameron Jones. “For example, we haven’t been able to have any showcases or open mics at venues because of the rules and regulations that they have set due to the virus. We haven’t been able to do as much as we’d like; however, we see it as a minor setback for a major come back.”
Featured image by James Ortiz Jr.
By Samantha Oesch Music Journalist Pandemic life has been drastically different, but it has not stopped Austin-based solo artist Kendra Sells from creating. Sells, singer of local neo-soul group Blumoon, has stepped out of her comfort zone in writing her upcoming EP “All In Your Head” and performing solo gigs. Branching out to play solo has been a new experience for Sells. She has always been “DIY” with creating album […]
1
2
3
4
5
Post comments (0)