Thug Life Army

Join the many men and women who are celebrating the contributions of women in Hip Hop. The Womanhood Learning Project (WLP) has put out a call to all the B-Girls and Hip Hop Queens—women who have transformed music and culture to come together for a yearlong campaign to create a space to learn, build, and provide tools and resource to empower educators, social workers, parents, youth and most of all, women and girls. The WLP is a project of the Hip hop Association [H2A], in conjunction with the Social Services of Hip hop, We B*Girlz, Where My Ladies at? Interactive Film, and We Got Issues!

The mission is to restore, revive and heal the Hip hop Woman by exploring and acknowledging the role of women in leadership and other sectors within Hip hop culture and the community. WLP will examine the negative media and power struggles that hinder the growth and awareness of women in the Hip hop generation.  It will focus strong attention on how these factors impact the youth, especially young girls. This yearlong campaign will include workshops, a lecture series, development of an online community, and a case study.

The Womanhood Learning Project’s most ambitious goal will be the release of a resource book that will promote these invisible, yet talented women. It will be an encyclopedia of pioneering and trendsetting women entitled, Fresh, Bold, and So Def: Women in Hip hop Changing The Game, edited by Martha Diaz and Felicia Pride. The volume contains over 300 profiles of international artists, industry professionals, and social activists. It is groundbreaking and informative focusing on the leaders around the world who are fighting on the front lines, building institutions, holding high positions in corporations, and creating social change through art. Fresh, Bold, and So Def: Women In Hip hop Changing The Game will serve as an inspiration for educating girls and women, boys and men, young and old, and everyone else on the historical legacy of women in Hip hop.

The WLP Interactive Lecture Series continues to serve as a space for women to discuss issues affecting women in Hip hop. The topics include Media, Politics, Gender Roles, Education, and Motherhood.

Individuals and organizations can add their events that focus on women to the series by sending an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Here are upcoming events in March:

Uplifting, Empowering and Educating By Any Means Necessary!

March 26, 2008 - Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Education Center (NYC)

This event includes a press conference, benefit reception, and performance showcase. Sponsored by the Social Services of Hip hop. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Herstory: The Power of Women Community Leaders and Entrepreneurs

March 29, 2008 – This workshop takes a close look at the numerous models of female leadership among the Hip hop generation in community organizing. This interactive workshop uses the media, past and living history to give life to the powerful examples of female leadership and uses them to find lessons and tools for models of collective leadership. Sponsored by Urban League of Alaska (Anchorage, Alaska) http://www.nul-anchorage.org

Womanhood Learning Project H2A Team

Martha Diaz, President of the Hip hop Association

Mona Ibrahim, Director of Community Building and Program Development

Nakia Alston, H2A Communications and Development Coordinator

Beth Sachnoff, Head Researcher, H2Ed Communications and Development Coordinator

Kompalya Thunderbird, Director of Media Acquisition and Communications

Deanne Ziadie-Nemitz - Preservation Coordinator

Amanda Cumbow, Researcher

Ebonie Smith, Researcher

Womanhood Learning Project Partners

Jineea Butler-Graham – Hip hop Analyst, Social Services of Hip hop

J-Love – Activist, Author – White Girl, We Got Issues!

Leba Haber – Director of the interactive film, Where My Ladies At?

Nika Kramer – Writer, Translator, Activist - We B*Girlz (Germany)

Womanhood Learning Project Advisory Committee

Toni Blackman – Freestyle Union and US State Dept. AmbassadorBeverly Bond – DJ, Activist - Black Girls Rock Foundation

Maria “Toofly” Castillo – Graffiti Artist, Activist –Younity

Raquel Cepeda – Filmmaker, Author, Journalist

Rosa A. Clemente – Journalist, Hip Hop Activist, President - Know Thy Self Productions, LLC

Martha Cooper – Pioneer Photographer, Author – We B*Girlz

Michaela Angela Davis – Fashionista, Cultural Anthropologist

Tamara Dawit – Activist - What’s the 411? (Canada)

Caridad “La Bruja” De La Luz – MC, Poet, Activist – Latinas 4 Life

Dowoti Desir – Director, Malcolm x & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Educational Center

Delphine Diallo – Photographer, Filmmaker, Visual Artist (France)

Johanna Guevara - 7one8Designs

Suheir Hammad – Poet, Author, Activist

Indy Hunjan - Kala Phool, Rising Styles (England)

Maori Karmael Holmes – President of the Black Lily Film and Music Festival

Raqiyah Mays – Managing Editor, The Ave and Radio Host for Hot 97/98.7

Dr. Irma McClaurin – Scholar, Poet, Writer, Author

Elisha Miranda – Filmmaker, Author, Activist, Sister Outsider/Chica Luna

Jeannette Petri - Anattitude Magazine, Germany/Belgium

Felicia Pride – Journalist, Author, The Message

Rokafella – B-Girl, Activist - Full Circle Productions

Dr. Tricia Rose – Pioneer Scholar, Author, Black Noise, Brown University

Marcella Runell Hall - Author, Activist, Educator, NYU

Dr. Theda Palmer Saxon – Life coach, Pres. of Seasoned Woman, Inc., Author, Pace U.

Raquel Sanchez - Alphabet City Design

Dr. Roxanne Shante – Pioneer MC and Psychologist

Akiba Solomon – Journalist, Author - Naked: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips, & Other Parts

Theresa Sweetland - Executive/Artistic Director - Intermedia Arts, Minneapolis, MN

Noelle Theard – Photographer, Documentarian, Activist

About Hip hop Association: The Hip hop Association [H2A] is a 501(c)(3) media, education, and arts community building organization. Our projects are designed to encourage critical thinking, education reform, cross-cultural unity and civic engagement. The H2A empowers the community through the use of media, technology, resources, social entrepreneurship, and leadership development. We are producers of the largest annual international Hip hop film festival, and Hip hop Education forums. www.hiphopassociation.org

About Social Services of Hip Hop: The Social Services of Hip Hop is a psychology based service agency that identifies and remedies issues that affect the growth of the Hip Hop community by presenting revenue generating and community building activities. The company serves as a technical assistance intermediary that organizes and enhances programs that interact with the Hip Hop Community. Our mission is to empower Hip Hop citizens to their maximum level of functioning by providing effective tools, resources and services. www.ss-hiphop.com

About We Got Issues!: We Got Issues! mission is to awaken a new brand of feminine centered leadership and social/political activism in America. Through rigorous training and development we strengthen young women’s internal resources and capacity to lead, through outreach and education we facilitate the creation of networks and collaborations that leverage young women's best knowledge, skills and resources and through advocacy and recognition we promote new models of bold courageous and empowered leadership by honoring the often overlooked contributions young women make to their respective communities and to society as a whole. www.wegotissues.org

About We B*Girlz Festival: The We B*Girlz Festival – Berlin 2008 is a multimedia festival by women for women celebrating the 4 elements of Hip hop and more. We B*Girlz wants to present a strong role model for adolescent girls. We want to show that women master skills in all aspects of Hip hop and have earned a place in Hip hop history. We will celebrate their creativity with a one-month festival in August 2008 in Berlin, Germany, with workshops, panels, exhibitions, screenings, and parties. The event series will close with a big two-day festival with battles, shows and concerts on August 29 and 30. www.bgirlz.com

About Where My Ladies At?:

Where My Ladies At? Is an interactive film website that encourages dialogue about "pop culture porn" through blogs, video diaries, SMS forums, and conversations with female Hip Hop pioneers. Although Where My Ladies At? targets Hip Hop, the film tackles larger societal issues and can be used to discuss issues of pop culture, sexuality and media representation with young people. The film is both a critique and celebration of Hip Hop, and women's accomplishments are showcased in a timeline of artists and pioneers. www.wheremyladiesat.com