Even if you don’t like hip-hop or art, and would rather have nicer prisons in California than colleges, you’re still invited to the most stimulating jam of the year.
City College will host the Educational Stimulus Jam on the West Campus lawn on Saturday, March 6.
The free event sponsored by region 6 of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges is a grassroots effort of musicians, artists, activists and other unique performers. The event’s goal is saving California’s public education system from becoming inaccessible, and tries to motivate students into action.
“We’re trying to get everyone as mad as we can,” said event Co-chair and Stage Manager Leah Cheney.
She said that Leila Steinberg, Tupac Shakur‘s former manager, is the keynote speaker for the jam and will most likely have an encouraging affect on the crowd because of her powerful personality.
The confirmed lineup consists of Quese IMC, One Nation Hip Hop, and Aelos. Other participants include, “pioneer of street skateboarding” Mark Gonzales, City College poetry club, 8 0 funk, Justin Silverstein and more, according to the event’s Facebook page.
Also attending the event will be local politicians Pedro Nava, the 35th District Assemblymember, and Janet Wolf, the Second District County Supervisor, according to the Student Senate.
There are set to be two stages, one of which will have a disk jockey and break dancers with graffiti and mural installation art, where students can paint, Cheney said.
Also, Native Americans from the Chumash Tribe will do a blessing for the festival at its opening, she said.
Because of California’s economic problems, the state has been taking money from education, while at the same time giving more to the prison industry. Community colleges are getting the worst hit, said event Co-chair Ashleigh Brown.
She added that California University students have been active in the fight to save school money by protesting all over the state, but community college students seem apathetic.
“The community college setting is less prone to inspire students to stand up for their rights,” said Brown. “So hopefully this festival will serve as a catalyst to inspire, inform and advocate.”
Besides entertainment and vending, there will be voter registration booths, English majors helping students write letters to congress, and local politicians talking about the budget crisis and how it’s affecting education, she said.
Planning the stimulus jam has been a lot of work, and there have been a few snags, but nothing that they haven’t been able to work past, Cheney said.
The funding has been the biggest setback, she said. They started without a budget, but have been able to raise $3,000 from different schools, of which City College was able to contribute $500.
The festival starts at noon with an opening blessing from the Native American Chumash tribe.
