The divinity in me salutes the divinity in you, word!

Greetings Hip Hop Community,

The Temple of Hip Hop is proud to announce the 13^th Hip Hop Appreciation Week (HHAW) will be celebrated May 16-23, 2010 our theme for this year is ORDER! Hiphoppas around the world are encouraged to use this week to get yourself, family, community in ORDER so that we can move forward in our collective consciousness. The goal of HHAW is to de-criminalize the images of  Hip Hop culture that are presented to the world by the mainstream media. During HHAW, Hiphoppas should amplify the work they’re doing in their community through Hip Hop culture.

As we begin this new decade, there are so many remarkable things happening in Hip Hop culture from the creative elements,to the political, academic and spiritual aspects. Now is the perfect time for the international Hip Hop community to get in ORDER!  Last year we celebrated the 35^th Anniversary of Hip Hop culture; let us stop doubting who we are and what we are here to do! As we get in ORDER, it’s time to get past the “personality” of our Hip Hop leaders, decide what is best for Hip Hop culture and how it will affect our children’s future!

As a unified international Hip Hop community we have the ability to use ORDER and transform the world into what we desire it to be! HHAW is a great time to learn or re-affirm your appreciation, support and work for the development, growth and preservation of Hip Hop culture through various activities and events in your community! Here are a few suggestions for ORDER during HHAW 2010:

1. Decide what Hip Hop culture really means to you and how you can contribute to its development, growth and preservation.
2. Get involved with or create an organization that allows you to use your gifts and talents, share those blessings with your community.
3. Study and teach the “Gospel of Hip Hop” and other information that give an authentic perspective of Hip Hop culture beyond entertainment.
4. Acknowledge May 16^th 2001, as “Hip Hop Independence Day”, this is the day that the Hiphop Declaration of Peace was presented to the United Nations to establish Hip Hop as an “international culture of peace and prosperity.”
5. Contact your local media outlets about programs for HHAW that help to de-criminalize the image of Hip Hop culture and highlight the contributions of Hip Hop pioneers.
6. Plan HHAW events and activities that include input from parents, youth, educators, spiritual leaders, politicians, business and community members.
7. Teach the youth about Hip Hop culture and provide creative activities that allow them to express themselves through the elements of Hip Hop. 

Let’s use HHAW to practice ORDER as we teach about Hip Hop culture and the many contributions we have made for positive social change in our communities around the world. This will empower Hiphoppas to rise above the negative stereotypes that mainstream media continue to attempt to place on our people, our ways of express and our culture. Have a positive, progressive and productive HHAW 2010, Word!