This experience takes youth on a journey through the roots of HIP HOP as a Culture, its principles of PEACE, LOVE, UNITY & SAFELY HAVING FUN as it celebrates its 50th decade. Through personal and cultural stories, youth will be inspired as they learn how children as young as eight created this global billion-dollar HIP HOP Culture. Through releasing their stress and expressing their self & emotions, these young leaders tapped into a powerful healing force rooted in community. Youth will be able to take part in the session by practicing wellness tools, creating a SELF-EXPRESSION piece through writing and visual arts , while also learning about the power of resilience, self-expression and community care.

Learning Objectives

• Increased knowledge on HIP HOP as a Culture, its history, pioneers and social movement roots Increased capacity & tools for youth to take actionable steps to create spaces of belonging, empathy, self -expression and community care ( the difference between community care and self- care).
• Tools to care for their own personal well-being such as silence, breathing, mindfulness and creative expression.

Professional Expertise

Tanika Riley aka iNsight is an energetic Speaker, Trainer, Event Curator, Host, Artist & HIP HOP Educator that has spent the last two decades supporting educational institutions & organizations in Social Emotional Intelligence, Wellbeing, Community Care & Equity through Ancient Wisdom via her social enterprise Tanika iNsight Circles. Tanika ‘iNsight” Riley was honoured in 2021 as one of 100 Accomplished Black Women in Canada for her two decades of work in these areas. Tanika has collaborated with every major school board in Ontario & hundreds of organizations with her keynotes, assemblies, trainings and programs. In 2023 Tanika impacted over 40,000 students, teachers, parents & community members with her leadership work.