Universal Hip Hop Museum

My camera is my weapon:the hip hop museum's my camera is my weapon program uses photography and storytelling as tools for social change, providing youth with creative outlets that promote peace, understanding, and self-expression. Inspired by gordon parks' "a choice of weapons," the program empowers high school students to use cameras as instruments of transformation, documenting their communities and envisioning a future shaped by creativity rather than conflict. Through mentorship, professional resources, and hands-on training, participants learn visual storytelling, gain confidence in their voices, and develop skills that foster lasting personal and artistic growth.

Hip hop history scholars program/hip hop 50 & beyond:the hip hop history scholars program and hip hop 50 & beyond initiative document and preserve the stories of hip hop's evolution, ensuring that the culture's oral histories and artifacts are archived for future generations. Through internships for undergraduate and graduate students, the program advances the hip hop museum's research and archiving capabilities while providing hands-on experience in cultural preservation. Participatns catalog event flyers, recordings, artwork, photographs, publications, and other materials that capture the evolution of hip hop and its global impact.

Grantmaking