What: Urban Glee NYC is a CD compilation project of the in-school arts organization, Literacy Takes a Bow, which celebrates the emerging voices of today’s youth. It is committed to providing
students with a safe space for creative and self-expression communicated through music and poetry. Working in a collaborative process, students explore how their own words and actions can impact their community.

How: Urban Glee NYC is an innovative, educational program that begins in the classroom by utilizing creative writing and spoken word poetry infused in their everyday literacy-based curriculum. These tools combined with the art of Hip Hop culminate in the making of the CD. All lyrics and music—free from profanity and/or hate speech—are written by the students, who are guided through the process from concept to recording by LTAB teaching artists, Akil Dasan and Brian “Dyalekt” Kushner.

Why Hip Hop: According to teaching artist Akil Dasan, “Many students respect, listen to and idolize Hip Hop stars. Hip Hop cultivates skill sets that students find useful. For example, poetry is prized in the Hip Hop community. Hip Hop celebrates self-expression, being able to articulate yourself, to both improvise and display feats of memory, physical prowess and originality–all of which, every educator should support.”

Why Urban Glee NYC: The benefits of Urban Glee NYC have been exponential. At Coalition High School for Social Change, where the project was launched, 98.1% of students who took the English Regents in the 2011 school year, passed—a 20% increase from last year. Current and future plans for the Coalition students who participated in Urban Glee NYC, include post high school programs, professional schools and colleges to study a variety of majors including journalism, medicine and education. Recent graduates are assisting as teaching artists for the newly formed Poets Café at Coalition. Proceeds from the sale of the CD support Urban Glee's College scholarship fund to benefit the students and create change in their community and beyond.