COLUMN: Building bridges with art

From Nadia Dowshen's, "Urban Guerrilla," Fall '99 From Nadia Dowshen's, "Urban Guerrilla," Fall '99For many, hip-hop conjures images of men yelling out misogynist obscenities or talking about money while surrounded by scantily clad women. But hip-hop means something very different to urban youth who are part of the underground, rather than commercial, hip-hop culture. Some existing programs already take advantage of the power of the performing arts. For the last several years, a group of Penn undergraduates have hosted a weekly event called "The Gathering," where rap artists, poets, singers and musicians from Penn and Philadelphia come together on campus for an open mic session. Those who attend and perform at "The Gathering" come from all races, classes, genders and ages, but they share their passion for hip-hop music and social issues. Through rhyme, Penn students and Philadelphia residents are able to discuss their differences, break down stereotypes and realize that they can find common ground in this art form. Another program that works to improve the relationship between Penn and West Philadelphia through the arts is a community performance class taught by William Yalowitz. The course brings Penn Urban Studies and Theater Arts students together with University City High School students and members of the Black Bottom Community Association to create a performance that tells the story of the neighborhood -- known as the "Bottoms" -- that was destroyed when Penn erected the University City Science Center in the late 1960s. The course is based on the idea that community performance not only builds and celebrates a sense of shared experiences, but also offers a forum for developing new ideas. As one community performance scholar put it, "Working together intensely and creatively provides a new way for a community to encounter itself." Through the course's culminating performance, Penn students gain an appreciation for how 30-year-old University action and policy continues to impact the West Philadelphia community, while former Black Bottom residents gain an audience with whom to share their story. Ultimately, two groups from two very different place form a community of their own committed to breaking down barriers between Penn and West Philadelphia. These and other initiatives have successfully used the arts as common ground, but we must go further if we expect to build a trusting relationship with the community. Recently, a group of students proposed a non-profit community gathering place for the promotion of arts and culture in University City. Called "The Foundation" by its proponents, the center hopes to take advantage of the rich cultural and artistic resources of the West Philadelphia community by joining the support of local organizations with Penn student performances. "The Foundation" would also provide a University City home for local hip-hop performers and other artists who currently hold events at house parties, underground clubs and venues in other parts of Philadelphia. It is important that Penn support "The Foundation" and other initiatives that allow for artistic collaboration between two communities possessing so much untapped talent. As a test case for the potential of hip-hop and other art forms to break down barriers and build community, "The Foundation" is too important an experiment to ignore.