Black girl beatbox magic to Berlin!
Donation protected
Many women of color have been taught to minimize our voices and opinions to make others more comfortable. Even as I launched this GoFundMe, subconsciously I minimized my voice and made my story short and direct because I didn’t think that people would want to spend their time reading about a black girl beatboxer. Even convincing myself that I should show up for a beatbox battle was extremely intimidating because I do not sound or look like the competitors or the people in the crowd. Plus, being 1 of 5 females in a room of hundreds of men can be overwhelming, let alone the only black girl. It’s a battle with myself to overcome my desire to blend in with the background and step out on the stage and blaze these dudes with my black girl beatbox magic.
Since I launched this GoFundMe campaign, I opened at an event at VICE for Black Girls Animate. We had a panel discussion with some women who hold senior positions at media companies. They revealed how difficult it was to climb up in a world where there were often the only woman of color in a room, or even person of color in a room. These women fought to make their voices matter in an industry where roles and characters are not created by black people. They expressed the composure they maintained to combat the “angry black women” stereotype while taking a stand and calling out offensive ideas. In order to succeed, this panel of determined women had to be brave, step up, and use their powerful voices to create change for women coming up after them.
At this panel, I saw how important it was to have our perspectives heard. These women succeeded by creating a lane for themselves, not just waiting around for people to create for us. We are a part of the story, and we deserve to speak for ourselves. Our stories are ours to tell. Our voices matter. Representation matters.
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I am a professional beatboxers and teaching artist in New York City looking to take a trip to hone my skills. With organizations like BEAT Global (check us out at beatglobal.org), I bring positive hip hop programming to youth all over NYC through beatboxing. I have watched my students discover the power of their voice and become collaborative, confident, and creative leaders. Beatboxing acts as a universal language so people all over the world are able to connect and create regardless of age, language, country or even gender.
The World Beatbox Championship is an event in Berlin where champion beatboxers from all over the world come to battle. It occurs once every 3 years, and 2018 is one of those years. After this event, there is a 10-day educational beatbox retreat in Krakow, Poland where beatboxers come together and learn from each other.
In beatboxing, females are drastically underrepresented. Most female beatboxers are of European descent, but there might be a handful of Asian female competitors and one or 2 female competitors from the Middle East (some who might even be defying their religion to beatbox). However, outside of Butterscotch (World Beatbox Champion 2005), and Nicole (a girl who beatbox battled her father on video), there are few black girl beatboxers in the community.
I hope that by representing on the American beatbox platform, I can show girls that resemble me that our voices are just as important as any of the other voices that represent on this platform. Our voices are unique, powerful, and relevant and we can rise. My wish is to see beatbox stages being taken over by unique, proud, and fearless black girls.
My hope is to go to the World Beatbox Championship this year and become an American Beatbox Champion. I am stepping up and representing females and positivity in Hip Hop for the youth. I believe this experience will make me a better artist and teacher and sharing positive hip hop values and beatboxing can make a difference in our communities.
Though working as a teaching artist is very rewarding, it does not pay much. That is why I am asking for support to go to Berlin and Beatbox boot camp after.
Here is a breakdown of my expenses:
$1500 = airfare to Berlin and back to the US
$1150 (975 Euro), admission to 10-day workshop
$50 = Admission to the 2-day World Beatbox Championship
$150 = for meals August 2-5
$150 = transportation costs in Europe
$300 = helps me stay in the hostel August 2-5
$3300 = TOTAL
Extra donations will go towards trainings and coaching to become a beatbox champion.
Getting ready to compete against highly competitive, skilled, and professional male beatboxers is stressful enough. PLEASE support me by donating to this campaign.
Since I launched this GoFundMe campaign, I opened at an event at VICE for Black Girls Animate. We had a panel discussion with some women who hold senior positions at media companies. They revealed how difficult it was to climb up in a world where there were often the only woman of color in a room, or even person of color in a room. These women fought to make their voices matter in an industry where roles and characters are not created by black people. They expressed the composure they maintained to combat the “angry black women” stereotype while taking a stand and calling out offensive ideas. In order to succeed, this panel of determined women had to be brave, step up, and use their powerful voices to create change for women coming up after them.
At this panel, I saw how important it was to have our perspectives heard. These women succeeded by creating a lane for themselves, not just waiting around for people to create for us. We are a part of the story, and we deserve to speak for ourselves. Our stories are ours to tell. Our voices matter. Representation matters.
____________
I am a professional beatboxers and teaching artist in New York City looking to take a trip to hone my skills. With organizations like BEAT Global (check us out at beatglobal.org), I bring positive hip hop programming to youth all over NYC through beatboxing. I have watched my students discover the power of their voice and become collaborative, confident, and creative leaders. Beatboxing acts as a universal language so people all over the world are able to connect and create regardless of age, language, country or even gender.
The World Beatbox Championship is an event in Berlin where champion beatboxers from all over the world come to battle. It occurs once every 3 years, and 2018 is one of those years. After this event, there is a 10-day educational beatbox retreat in Krakow, Poland where beatboxers come together and learn from each other.
In beatboxing, females are drastically underrepresented. Most female beatboxers are of European descent, but there might be a handful of Asian female competitors and one or 2 female competitors from the Middle East (some who might even be defying their religion to beatbox). However, outside of Butterscotch (World Beatbox Champion 2005), and Nicole (a girl who beatbox battled her father on video), there are few black girl beatboxers in the community.
I hope that by representing on the American beatbox platform, I can show girls that resemble me that our voices are just as important as any of the other voices that represent on this platform. Our voices are unique, powerful, and relevant and we can rise. My wish is to see beatbox stages being taken over by unique, proud, and fearless black girls.
My hope is to go to the World Beatbox Championship this year and become an American Beatbox Champion. I am stepping up and representing females and positivity in Hip Hop for the youth. I believe this experience will make me a better artist and teacher and sharing positive hip hop values and beatboxing can make a difference in our communities.
Though working as a teaching artist is very rewarding, it does not pay much. That is why I am asking for support to go to Berlin and Beatbox boot camp after.
Here is a breakdown of my expenses:
$1500 = airfare to Berlin and back to the US
$1150 (975 Euro), admission to 10-day workshop
$50 = Admission to the 2-day World Beatbox Championship
$150 = for meals August 2-5
$150 = transportation costs in Europe
$300 = helps me stay in the hostel August 2-5
$3300 = TOTAL
Extra donations will go towards trainings and coaching to become a beatbox champion.
Getting ready to compete against highly competitive, skilled, and professional male beatboxers is stressful enough. PLEASE support me by donating to this campaign.
Organizer
Arabelle Luke
Organizer
Englewood, NJ
