UNIVERSAL HIP HOP MUSEUM
Preserving The Past, Present & Future
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The art form of Hip Hop emerged from the thirst to promote peace, unity and artistic expression. As it evolved, artists began to use it to create social narratives around issues that plague our communities, like marginalization, racism, poverty and global injustice. Hip Hop, the seed that was planted in the Bronx, has blossomed to become a vibrant culture that pervades every aspect of our lives. Currently, in addition to music, we see Hip Hop reflected in fashion, architecture, advertisements, dance and politics. The Universal Hip Hop Museum is both a digital and physical space, designed to offer the world an immersive experience that will celebrate the Hip Hop's history, as well as spark the innovation of the future.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Griot Circle
Programs promoting success for BYMOC at WCS are the Future Leaders Program (FLP) which exposes BYMOC to 21st century skills such as financial literacy, health literacy, college readiness and employment opportunities. Through generous funding from the Department of Health, FLP has expanded to provide comprehensive adolescent pregnancy prevention through the Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program (TOP). TOP is a comprehensive, evidence based curriculum with national standing that focuses on health, skill building and service learning. FLP allows BYMOC to gain skills needed to be effective in the workforce, allowing them to increase their self-esteem and opportunities to gain employment whilst promoting their health and well-being. All programing at WCS’ FLP has been developed, implemented and is facilitated by professionals of color who care and have a deep respect for the community of the Bronx and its BYMOC. To date, FLP has been successful in providing internships and employment to over 150 participants, many of these BYMOC.
Hip Hop Collaborative Education Project
Art Standard 4 of The New York State Department of Education (NYSDOE) is about
"Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of The Arts” (NYSED).
Through the framework embedded in the key areas of Dance, Music, Visual Arts components of New York State Education’s Art Standard 4, students will be able to define Hip Hop from a historically accurate perspective. In addition, students will be able to present their personal story and social commentary utilizing the five foundational elements of Hip- Hop, Emceeing (rap), Turtablelism (Dee-Jaying), B-Boying, (Break-dancing), Street Art (Graffiti), and Knowledge/Purpose.
As a result of the Hip-Hop Collaborative Education Project between the Universal Hip- Hop Museum and the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), students will learn to develop and improve their personal and communal voice, work collaboratively in teams to create film and edit personal narratives through the development and production of Hip-Hop short films.
The curriculum for the Hip-Hop Collaborative Education Project will be a series of thematic lesson units built around a project based learning assignment. The project will be introduced to students as Hip Hop History vs. My Hip Hop Story. The lesson will be co-planned by Arts and Social Studies teachers.
Educational Symposiums
The Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) has built its foundation on the fifth tenet of hip hop: "knowledge of self." To that end, UHHM hosts a series of educational symposiums designed to enrich and enlighten the community on topics such as, community empowerment and outreach; educational advancement and health awareness. These forums elevate the voices of youth and adults and are designed to promote systemic change.
Educator Coaching and Professional Development
The Universal Hip Hop Museum believes that we are all educators because through our daily interactions, we pass on lessons to our youth. UHHM is also aware that there are individuals who have committed their lives to teaching youth and adults in formal settings like schools, higher educational institutions and non-profit organizations.
Through our exhibits, programs and events, UHHM offers experiences that are infused with practices that are rooted in the principles of Hip Hop pedagogy and practice. While this methodology is based in empirical research, it is not often utilized in teacher education programs or professional development sessions. In support of the Hip Hop Collaborative Education Project, UHHM offers coaching and professional development sessions to in and out of school time educators. It is the hope by equipping educators with these tools, they can expand youth engagement and increase impact in the areas of literacy and numeracy development.
UHHM Cares
Educational programming focused on mental health and wellness issues that impact marginalized communities.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Average price for admission to exhibits (in dollars)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adolescents, Adults
Related Program
Educational Symposiums
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The Universal Hip Hop Museum produces the [R]Evolution of Hip Hop Experience . The exhibit focused on curation of the birth of Hip Hop and its socio and economic impact around the globe.
Number of students educated through field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adolescents, Young adults
Related Program
Educational Symposiums
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The students who attend the museum's [R]Evolution of Hip Hop received a comprehensive understanding of Hip Hop history including curriculum designed for artistic expression, poetry and reading.
Number of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) developed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Hip Hop Collaborative Education Project
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of grants and research funding awarded to the institution
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Educational Symposiums
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
As an educational institution, the goals of the Universal Hip Hop Museum are multi-faceted. Our goals acknowledge the expansiveness of the art form and its relevance in many different sectors. Our primary goal is to serve as an archive for music, artifacts, photographs and narratives, that represent the history of Hip Hop. UHHM also strives to offer educational symposiums and experiences that allow community to members to enhance their perspective and understanding of topics that affect the state of the world, particularly marginalized communities. The museum will also serve as a space for artists to hone their skills in the 4 elements of Hip Hop culture: emceeing, deejaying, street artistry and B-boying/B-girling. Finally, UHHM will serves as a medium for scholarship on the impact of Hip Hop culture on our educational systems and communities. The museum will sponsor White papers and empirical studies designed to explore these topics.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Universal Hip Hop museum aims to meet the aforementioned goals by using the physical museum as an archive. Artists, collectors and historians have begun to donate pieces of Hip Hop culture and history. These are materials being cataloged and will subsequently be used to create interactive exhibits. The museum has also partnered with a number of educational institutions, including the New York City Department of Education to offer programs for youth and educators. These programs are currently in its pilot stage, but the leadership team anticipates a full launch in the upcoming year. In 2016, the Universal Hip Hop Museum sponsored its 16 Bars 4 Hip Hop challenge in which up and coming artists were able to submit entries. This competition culminated in an album that featured the both new and established emcees. It is currently being sold on iTunes and the UHHM website. Beginning in the summer of 2017, UHHM has sponsored educational panels. The first in this series entitled, "Has Hip Hop Lost Its Political Voice?"discussed the current state of the art form and how it is being utilized in the political sphere. Upcoming panels will address issues of physical and mental health that affecting the Hip Hop community. This year, UHHM will begin to collect qualitative and quantitative data from program participants. The results will be used to support future research studies sponsored by the museum.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Universal Hip Hop Museum has secured partnerships with a number of institutions and corporations that are intellectually and financially supporting the organization in meetings its goals. UHHM also has an advisory board of leaders in the fields of art acquisition, marketing, development, architecture and education who are leading the development of the museum's current ventures and initiatives.
The museum has also created campaigns to support programming and the construction of the UHHM building.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
During its inception phase the Universal Hip Hop Museum made great gains. It developed a strong framework for the museum based on "design ciphers" that were held in New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles. The plans were used to influence the architectural design and exhibit creation of the museum. Additionally, during that period UHHM sponsored its first 16 Bars 4 Hip Hop competition and released a critically acclaimed album.
The museum has robust online platforms, including 4 active social media pages and an online webpage. UHHM convened its first educational symposium at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, NY. The organization has also sponsored a number of musical events including the "Kurtis Blow and Friends Concert" at NJPAC. A pilot of the Hip Hop Collaborative Education Project was launched in the Bronx in spring 2017. UHHM also hosted a pre-screening of the film, "All Eyez on Me at the University of Southern California.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum is proud to not only be making an impact on the East Coast, but to also have a secure footprint on the West Coast. In the future, UHHM is excited to break ground on the brick and mortar museum. It will also continue to host educational panels on topics that are affecting our global community.
Outcomes measurement is a priority for the museum, so its Educational Program Development Committee works to implement data collection strategies for all UHHM sponsored initiatives.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
UNIVERSAL HIP HOP MUSEUM
Board of directorsas of 05/26/2023
Ms Nana Ashhurst
Universal Hip Hop Museum
Term: 2019 -
Adam Silverstein
Attorney
Rocky Daniel Bucano
UHHM, Executive Director
Peter Bittenbender
CEO, Mass Appeal
Nana Ashhurst
Retired Music Industry CEO
Kurtis Blow Walker
UHHM, Chairman Emeritus
Bruce Jackson
Associate General Counsel, Microsoft
Dr. Stephon Alexander
Theoretical Cosmologist
Ruben Diaz Jr.
Consultant
Ann Carli
Filmmarker
Faith Newman
Record Executive
Sissi Johnson
Charlane Brown Wylands
Attorney
Louis EricB Barrier
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 07/07/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.