TheCipher

One Busy Summer Break

2008-08-11T17:35:00.004-05:00

As hard as they’ve been working these past few months, The Cipher crew deserved a much-needed summer break. The free time in July gave them a chance to reflect, contemplate, and look back at all they’ve learned and everything they’ve accomplished in just 9 months.

They’ve been given the opportunity to learn in a different way, a less school-like environment, with unfamiliar peers they’ve grown to trust. They’ve met outstanding citizens of Austin who are positive and supportive role models that have been cheering them on all the way. And they’ve performed in places they never imagined they would at this stage in their young lives.

In just a few weeks, you’ll know exactly what The Cipher program has done for the participants when I post all-new video blogs! So don’t forget to check back soon!

GET YOUR SAUSAGE WRAPS!

Poetry is apparently a family affair for the Van Zandt-Sterlings.

Jo Van Zandt and her son 19-year-old Johnathon ‘Korim’ Sterling are not only poets themselves, but are also so committed to the proliferation of youth poetry that they spent every weekend over two whole months raising money to send as many Cipher youths as they could to a poetry festival in Washington D.C.

Jo made calls, got sausages, got supplies, set up the tent, and she made it happen! With the help of volunteers, a pool of family, friends, and Cipher supporters, sales from sausage wraps, chips, candy, and soda were enough for airfare and lodging for three Cipher participants.

In the picture, we’re in front of the Academy Sports and Outdoors off I-35 and 290. A very nice lady wanted to hear some poetry before donating to the cause. Fair enough. Jonathon did his thing like only he knows how to do it. His audience was very pleased.

Grassroots fundraising is a task in itself, as Jo can attest to, but it was well worth the reward. Read on to learn what a difference the proceeds made.

BRAVE NEW VOICES HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR

Every year,Youth Speaks, the nation’s leading presenter of spoken word, hosts an International Youth Poetry Slam Festival. With the proceeds from sausage wrap sales, two Cipher members and Gator were able to attend Brave New Voices from July 15-19.

Aside from the slam championships, guest speakers, and performances to attend to, the mini-crew had about 10,000 other young poets to meet in Washington D.C. For 17-year-old Cora Lee, one of the things she enjoyed the most were the random ciphers that would erupt just about everywhere she turned. All it would take is a group of people standing around - a beat would get going and impromptu poetry and rap would ensue. She also had a lot of fun listening to unique individuals of various backgrounds express themselves without fear of being judged.

“I like how everyone encouraged each other. If someone messed up on stage, they were still cheered on. It was all about just getting on stage and giving it your all,” recalled Cora.

The festival was a life-changing experience for Te’aunna ‘T-Fly’ Moore, also 17.

“Everybody got along, there were no fights, and everyone was there to do their thing. You could really tell poetry is life for the people that competed,” said Te’aunna, “I got a lot of inspiration from other people. I met so many people that like the same music I do and like to talk about the same things I like to talk about.”

One of her favorite events was the finals. In a typical slam competition, it’s all about the scores from the judges that determine the winner. But at Brave New Voices, no one cared about the judges or who won. According to Te’aunna, “We all won because we all made it there and we all love poetry.”

The ladies were able to attend a few workshops during their stay, which reinforced what they have already learned back home with the rest of The Cipher crew. They learned that when they write, they must write from the heart; it doesn’t matter what other people think, just be confident with it and that is good enough. They were also taught how to incorporate movement into their performances; as opposed to just standing there, they learned a variety of theatrics that could be weaved into their poetry piece.

Both of them had a lot of fun at Brave New Voices and hopefully the entire Cipher crew will be able to experience the festivities next year.

HIP-HOP EDUCATION IN THE HEARTLAND

The month-long break was also a good time for The Cipher staff to assess, review, prepare, and plan the program’s progress and future progress. From July 7 to 11, co-founders Shannon Sandrea and Christopher ‘Gator’ Ockletree attended the 3rd Annual Spoken Word and Hip-Hop Educator & Community Leader Training Institute held at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Board of Directors member SaulPaul also attended along with three other members from Gator’s crew, the Public Offenders.

The week-long program for teachers, educators, and community leaders offers important educational tools, hands-on techniques, and a platform in which to understand all of hip hop culture in order to strengthen and develop the best practices in hip hop and spoken word course study and lessons.

Every day from 8 in the morning until 10 at night, the group attended sessions covering various themes such as Language and Liberation, Beyond Bars and Borders: Youth Poetry, Community, and the Organic Intellectual, and Addressing and Articulating a Personal Pedagogy. Evening sessions concluded with performances, screenings, and discussions with notable artists such as Amiri Baraka and Queen GodIs.

One of the workshops were led by none other than Chris ‘Kazi’ Rolle, founder of the original Hip Hop Project in New York from which The Cipher was inspired. He shared the program’s curriculum and proven methods on how to actively engage youth through hip hop. Chris was extremely happy and very supportive of The Cipher’s progress; its success is an extension of all the work he has done with his program.

The training was invaluable to all who attended, but Yoli, Quincy, and Damien from the Public Offenders had the best experience of all.

“This was not just good for The Cipher, but for Austin’s future leaders that are being developed through this training,” explains Shannon, “Ever since they got back, they’ve all been interviewing for jobs with similar type work. They all want to be employed doing community work with youth.”

In order to fully grasp the concepts shared throughout the sessions, the ‘teachers’ became the ‘students.’ Everyone attending the class had to experience what the kids would by doing the writing exercises in the lesson plans.

Shannon says it was, “very deep and so emotional.”

The 50 people who attended the training had conversations on just about everything. There were many tears shed throughout the week and so many bonds were formed that it all became very spiritual. One of Shannon’s favorite aspects of the whole experience was the community created of people that they can all connect with, talk about projects, and share lessons on what they’ve learned.

Even though SaulPaul and Public Offenders weren’t scheduled to perform, they were asked to after proving their wide knowledge and commitment as hip hop educators.

Training sessions such as these are essential to the sustainability of the program’s curriculum and help keep Shannon and Gator on their toes in regard to current teaching methods and strategies in hip hop education. The trip would not have been possible without a generous donation from Susan and Brent Bockholt. The couple have been long-time fans of Public Offenders and were so inspired by The Cipher crew at the April fundraiser that they wanted to help in any way they could.

We’re glad they’re back and full of new information to share.

IT'S A GOOD LIFE FOR THE CIPHER

You know you’re doing something right when your happy face is on the cover of a publication called The Good Life. On page 52 of the July issue, Shelley Livaudais wrote a feature article all about the program. Thanks Shelley for the wonderful story!

Shelley‘s article helps expose The Cipher program to an open and diverse audience that may not have heard about it otherwise. And the more exposure, the more people are aware of the kind of stuff good people do here in Austin.

You can still get physical copies of the issue by contacting the mag or just click here to view the PDF. I really enjoyed the pictures that accompany the great article – they really captured The Cipher’s energy and boundless spirit.

The face on the cover was none other than T-Fly. Even though she thought it wasn’t her best picture, she thought it was pretty cool.

GO ORGANIC!

Besides the obvious reasons to buy organic at all times possible, there’s one more reason to shop especially at Whole Foods in Gateway Plaza. Each cash register displays donation jars which proceeds will all go to The Cipher. The jars have been up for several weeks, but they won’t be there forever! So when you’re thinking all-natural and organic, and you’re thinking Whole Foods, think Cipher as well when you pull out that wallet.

Sizzlin' with The Cipher

2008-06-17T18:02:00.002-05:00

Although it’s been awhile since the last post, rest assured The Cipher has not slowed down one bit. In fact, things are just barely heating up. With the generous proceeds collected from the fundraiser, the program has catapulted the youths into a summer packed with performances, community events, and even their first video shoot. To catch up on what’s been going down with The Cipher, here’s a recap of their super season so far:

April 19, 2008
Several members performed at the Grand Opening of Southwest Key’s new $8 million multi-use facility and national headquarters. Thousands came out to celebrate including Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Mayor Pro Tem Betty Dunkerley, and Pedro Garza, Regional Director for the Economic Development Administration. The new East Austin Community Center is home to not only the Boys and Girls Club of the Capital Area and the AMD Community Technology Center, it is also the meeting place for The Cipher’s bi-weekly sessions.

May 4, 2008
If you’re not from around these here parts, Sixth Street’s original name is actually Pecan Street. Twice a year, hundreds flock to The Old Pecan Street Festival for awesome artwork, crafts, tons of food, and of course, live music. The Cipher performed at Maggie Mae’s, rocking the crowd with their beats, rhymes, and poetry. [Blogger’s note: I’ve seen the Cipher crew perform a number of times and each time they get better and better; their confidence on stage increases with each performance and their high energy reverberates throughout the room – it’s a wonderful thing!]

May 31, 2008
At the Under 21 Poetry Slam Off held at Ruta Maya International Headquarters, several Cipher members competed in the final battle of the year. Cora Lee, Nick Cruz, and Telvi Altamirano left it all out on stage to vie for a spot representing Austin at the Brave New Voices Annual International Youth Poetry Slam Festival being held July 14-19 in Washington D.C. The competition was fierce, and although none of the Cipher poets made it on the team, our amazing Cipher supporters are doing everything they can so that they don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience the Festival. Want to help? Read more…

May 23-25, 2008
Renowned hip hop theater artist Zell Miller III invited The Cipher crew to perform for his third installment of Hip Hop Theater Explosion at the Vortex Theater. [Blogger’s note: I’ve been to all the installments and can easily say this is definitely a MUST-SEE show. It’s so good that it usually sells out all three days and people get turned away, having to wait for the next installment to come around.] So you can imagine the thrill and excitement The Cipher crew experienced performing for a packed house!

June 14, 2008
Bathed in delicious Dominican Joe coffee aromas, talent after talent moved the crowd through waves of emotions at the very first Say Anything Youth Open Mic night. Young artists, along with The Cipher poets, made us laugh, made us think, and made us fall in love with the passion they have for their art. Resident turntablist DJ Power Tripp, a 12-year-old from Leander, provided us and The Cipher MCs with proper beats and cuts. This bi-monthly event encourages young writers, rappers, singers, actors, and spoken word artists of Austin to take a risk and come rock the mic! The next performance will be Saturday June 28, 2008 from 4-7pm. For more information, read more…

Well that pretty much sums up all the Cipher activities up to today. In the upcoming blogs, we hope to get up close and personal with who exactly makes up The Cipher and what kind of influence the program has had on their lives. So stay tuned, The Cipher is constantly on the move and building up to the much-anticipated CD release. To everyone who has been a part of The Cipher’s incredible progress, thank you for believing!

Full Circle: The Cipher Youths Make Their Austin Debut

2008-04-08T00:05:00.003-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TX--The Cipher’s kickoff fundraiser will be held Saturday, April 12, 2008 at the home of Dale and Libby Linebarger, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Live performances include teen poets, rappers, and singers of The Cipher along with local hip hop artists SaulPaul, Public Offenders, and S.T.A.T.I.K. Proceeds from the event will help sustain the new non-profit program geared towards East Austin young adults, 15-21, through the next year.

"Giving these teens a positive avenue to express themselves and build self-confidence can only result in greater responsibility and a brighter future for them and their community," said Libby Linebarger, who volunteered her home to host the fundraiser.

For many East Austin youths, hip hop is a way of life; it is their escape, their inspiration, and motivation to envision a positive future despite an environment of poverty, high levels of school dropout, and teen pregnancy. Through weekly writing exercises, workshops led by community leaders and mentors, sociopolitical discussions, and exposure to Austin’s music industry, The Cipher participants gain valuable life skills and the opportunity to create an original hip hop CD compilation. The Cipher was inspired by the original Hip Hop Project program based in Brooklyn, NY that has successfully worked with youths since 1999.

To RSVP or for more information on the event and program, please contact Shannon Sandrea at 512-917-2741 or visit www.thecipheratx.org.

Gator Glimmers

2008-03-24T18:45:00.006-05:00

He gives his heart, his soul, and then some, at every meeting, performance, and show. He gives his time, his energy, and of himself for the pure purpose of inspiring youth.

Christopher ‘Gator’ Ockletree gives because it is his calling.

“If I don’t do it, who will?” -[Gator, March 2008]

Up until earlier this year, his position as Co-Founder and Group Leader of The Cipher: Austin’s Hip Hop Project, was strictly on a volunteer basis. One organization changed everything. Glimmer of Hope does exactly that: gives sufferers of exclusion, social injustice, neglect, abandonment and educational disadvantages a glimmer of hope for a promising future.

The foundation awards grants to organizations that demonstrate an entrepreneurial approach to building the self-esteem and life skills of excluded youth and seniors. Gator will be the recipient of one of those grants.

“When I was in high school, I was rapping all the time. Something like this [The Cipher] would have been helpful to launch my career even further than where it is now. Also, I am a hip hop and spoken word artist and I’m part of this community. I’m at an age where I can blend in with certain youths on this side of town. -[Gator, March 2008]

While the average 21-year-old male may be in college, working their first job, or enjoying their freedom of finally being able to hit the bars, Gator’s very limited non-Cipher hours are spent still giving.

First and foremost is his loyalty to the Public Offenders. Alongside Black Prophet, Lyricist, Phenom, and Yoli, the revolutionary five-person crew write their own lyrics, create their own ideas for beats, and book their own shows, in addition to producing and promoting their own albums.

Public Offenders are a staple of Austin’s hip hop scene having performed at First Night Austin, SXSW, and a countless number of other shows on and away from Sixth Street. Castleview Productions is currently producing a documentary about the group and they have partnered with A Call to Men to produce an album encouraging men to talk with other men to stop violence against women. Co-Founders Ted Bunch and Tony Porter understand that you must use music, especially hip hop, in order to effectively reach this generation.

When he’s not working with The Cipher, or working with Public Offenders, or volunteering his time with other organizations such as SafePlace, United Way, Voices for Youth and Education, he somehow finds the time to give attention to another passion: poetry.

He placed 2nd for Austin’s Under-21 Youth Slam team in 2005 and often performs a poetry piece when explaining The Cipher program to funders and community leaders. The performance really hits it out of the ballpark – people begin to truly understand the effectiveness the program has on the youth.

In addition to the Glimmer of Hope grant he’ll be receiving, Gator was awarded a $500 grant from DoSomething.org last November. As a recipient, he was the only one invited on an all-expense paid trip to New York for the organization’s non-profit boot camp for leaders under 25, which he attended earlier this month.

Gator and Shannon (and the rest of The Cipher support team) are constantly on the lookout for more training opportunities and other resources that will keep the program moving.

In a nutshell, without Gator and all that he gives, there would be no Cipher. Shannon Sandrea, Co-Founder and Program Director, couldn’t agree more.

“Without him teaching, there is no program.”

The Cipher Mixes In

2008-03-08T02:28:00.006-06:00

It’s SXSW season again here in Austin, which means three things:

Too many things to see and do, not enough time to see and do it all
Forget about parking anywhere NEAR downtown.
Babysitters of the city will be overbooked as parents battle for just one night to enjoy the sounds of the season.

This year is no different, but there is one exception: The Cipher will be making their SXSW debut!

The only official youth-geared event of the SXSW Interactive Festival, The Cipher will perform hip hop-inspired spoken word and poetry at Café Mundi.

Being invited to an event of this stature may not mean much to veteran performers, but for the young Cipher artists, it is a life-changing experience. The teens are not published poets, seasoned singers, or rappers with five CDs under their belts. In fact, producers, filmmakers, and industry movers probably won’t be going anywhere near the neighborhoods the Cipher youths are from.

If you don’t already know by now, SXSW is a music, film, and interactive conference and festival event that brings in over 7,000 people to Austin every March. Everyone will be listening; it’s an opportunity to be heard. Luckily, The Cipher members have a lot to say.

“To be included in an event like this is really breaking down the walls,” said Shannon Sandrea, Program Director.

Hosted by Ypulse, a media platform for youth media and marketing professionals, the all-ages mixer will showcase how hip hop fuels The Cipher. Hip hop is their way of life, not just a market forecast for the next quarter. It has bonded the youths, it has educated them, and it has reached them in a way no other “trend” can.

Of all the unique activities going on around town during March madness, this is one event where the performers will gain more from it than the audience will. Also performing is Austin’s own teen band, Blues Mafia.

The show is open to the public, which means, forget the babysitter – just bring the kids! And experience this year’s SXSW season together.

In the Spirit of the Season

2008-03-08T02:12:00.003-06:00

In the true spirit of Hip Hop Culture, members of The Cipher have been invited to the ultimate come-one, come-all freestyling session downtown on Friday, March 14, in front of the Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St, 8:30pm SHARP.

Coordinated by Aaron Berkowitz of Hip Hop Congress, the very essence of the culture began similarly. Groups of rappers, beatboxers, and fans alike would converge for a cipher of rhythms and rhymes on street corners throughout the Bronx. No one cares how old or young you are, your gender or ethnicity, or your financial status; it’s all about the skills. If you’ve got ‘em, bust ‘em.

The Cipher definitely has skills and they’re ready to represent. Joined by other community members, including Fresh Boy Crew and F5 Records, Berkowitz hopes the session will draw even more attention to the local hip hop scene already in the spotlight for SXSW.