XP 6: How can I resist injustice through music?

Think About

• What types of connections can exist between music, culture, and justice?
• What injustices can I address through music?
• How can I express how I feel about injustices through music?
• How can I resist injustices through music?

Get Started

Listen to this interview with Quetzal Flores and Martha Gonzales about their band Quetzal’s recent album The Eternal Getdown

1. Think about and answer the following questions:

• How is the group Quetzal connecting music, culture, and community to resist injustice?
• What are social injustices in your community you want to address through music?

1. Think about and answer the following questions

• What are poetic and creative ways you can express how you feel about this injustice (through metaphor, wordplay, tone, melody, cadence, etc)?
• Is there something from a song that resists social injustice that you can remix or use as inspiration for your creative process?

1. Review the lyrics and music of Strange Fruit or of other music that has resisted injustices through music in the past
2. Pick a line from Strange Fruit or other music that resisted injustices that stands out to you
3. Write a short verse that incorporates this line
4. Now, try creating and performing your own version of Strange Fruit or other music (for yourself or others) and incorporate your new verse
   1. You don’t need to share this with anyone but you might consider sharing with friends, family, or a mentor

 

Share What you Learned

If you are using the LRNG platform:

• Go back, find out what to submit, and complete the XP
• If you want, you can then learn even more with the optional “Go Further!” activities below

If you are not using the LRNG platform:

• Continue below and share with your teacher or organization:

Sharing What You Learned

Choose one of the following:

• Share the music and line from it that you used as inspiration along with your new verse
• Share music you created that expresses how you feel about an injustice
• Share a video selfie or in writing how you could express how you feel about an injustice or how you could resist an injustice through music in the future

Next Steps

Return to the Getting Started Connecting Music and Culture Learning Playlist