Stories from the Field

“Life, Liberation, and Hip Hop culture: this is why I make music. It’s more than music to me; it’s a movement. I make art to shine light and fulfill my purpose on this planet.” Born in West Africa, Tem Blessed came to the US as a young child and soon…

Naima Shalhoub is a Lebanese American vocalist, songwriter, and educator for social justice. A former educator in the public school system, Naima spent a year facilitating weekly “Music and Freedom with incarcerated women in San Francisco County Jail, ultimately recording her first album, Live in San Francisco County Jail. Many…