This dynamic workshop introduces the OLLU community to a groundbreaking “True” Hip Hop Education model—developed through doctoral research and brought to life in a San Antonio 9th-grade classroom. Rooted in Hip Hop culture’s origins as a tool for survival, innovation, and creative expression, this model offers a youth-centered alternative to traditional schooling and societal norms. It transforms young lives through teaching and learning that prioritize engagement, empowerment, and equity
Participants will experience this pedagogy in action—honoring culture and collective liberation in alignment with OLLU’s mission to transform society through education grounded in justice and dignity. In this hands-on session, seasoned and aspiring educators will do Hip Hop, exploring the self-determined naming practices of StyleWriting, Hip Hop’s core visual art form. This immersive approach demonstrates how to engage and empower youth through creativity, belonging, and confidence.
Designed for OLLU’s future educators, social workers, and community leaders, the workshop highlights how innovative, locally rooted pedagogy can help San Antonio’s youth shape futures full of possibility. For an institution committed to service, culture, and transformation, this event showcases how Hip Hop education fuels excellence, empathy, and equality.
About the Presenter:
G. Beatriz Rodríguez, JD, PhD, is a San Antonio–raised educator, scholar, and Hip Hop practitioner with nearly 30 years of experience in public schools and community spaces nationwide. Her doctoral research developed the “True” Hip Hop Education model, later implemented in her 9th-grade Geography classroom with powerful results. She co-founded Universal Style School in 2014 and continues to lead efforts to advance Hip Hop pedagogy as a justice-centered approach to teaching and learning. Her bold aerosol artworks uplifting community can be seen across San Antonio.
Event Details:
IFCC Winter Educator’s Workshop:
Remaking Education Now – A True Teacher’s Guide to Hip Hop Pedagogy & Classroom Practice
📅 Thursday, January 8, 2026
🕕 6 PM – 9 PM
📍 MARC Ballroom
💲 Free Admission