Discovering Musical Expression and Social Justice
In the Grade 9 classroom of Winnipeg teacher Christine M’Lot, students are doing more than just listening to hip hop—they’re linking it to truth and reconciliation. In just one program, they are learning about social justice, music, coding, and Indigenous history, culture, and ways of knowing. That’s a powerful—and empowering—way to learn.
M’Lot, an Anishinaabe educator, consultant and curriculum developer, had already been using hip hop and digital media in her language arts classes when the TakingITGlobal organization asked her to adapt and develop the Canadian curriculum for their Your Voice is Power initiative. That initiative teaches computer science and social justice fundamentals by showing students how to remix songs by Indigenous artists like Dakota Bear, Twin Flames, Jayli Wolf, and Samian, and to create their own music too.
“Hip hop has always, in my opinion, been rooted in social justice,” says M’Lot. “And so for Canadian Indigenous youth, I think that is really relatable: living in underfunded neighbourhoods, experiencing systemic racism, institutional racism, interpersonal racism, but [the music] still offers a message of strength and hope.”
She says that students who may not want to write a story or poem may prefer to write lyrics or compose a beat. “It’s all about giving them the tools to be able to express themselves freely.” And of course, many teens are passionate about hip hop.
“Music is just the perfect connection. They’re also exposed to new music that maybe they haven’t heard before by Indigenous artists.” The program covers music elements like tempo, bridges, and chorus, as well as the art and science of mixing and music technology.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action are part of the learning, too, says M’Lot, where students cover Indigenous and Canadian history and then explore the calls to action. They are encouraged to pick a call that resonates with them, such as one that’s aligned with sports, language, or health. Reflecting on that call to action becomes part of their song as a further way of advocating or raising awareness.
While some educators use the eight free online modules as part of their classwork, others host a one-day event at their school or region. Tesa Fiddler, coordinator of Indigenous education at the Thunder Bay District Catholic School Board in Thunder Bay, Ontario, gathered a hundred senior elementary and high school students from five schools for a day-long event in early 2024.
“Hearing the inspirational stories that Dakota Bear and his entourage brought—it was really heartfelt for them. And the kids had a lot of fun. There was a hum in the room,” she says. “The music experience, the writing, the journaling, the mindfulness around creating music, it is really healing. And it gives kids another tool in their toolkit to seek out mino-bimaadiziwin [the good life or way of living], to seek out that better life.”
Some companies, including Google, TikTok, and Meta, have recently vowed to combat deepfakes on their platforms by utilizing technology to detect and prevent the spread of this kind of content. This decision came in light of the risk of election interference, as a recent voice call deepfake of President Joe Biden began making the rounds, discouraging “individuals from voting in the New Hampshire primary,” according to ABC News. Despite these tech giants beginning to put countermeasures in place, it is clear that deepfakes aren’t leaving the internet. As important as it is to learn the how and why behind deepfake technology, it’s just as important to learn the how and why behind responsible use and creation. The more we know, the more we can protect ourselves and others.
