This episode details how Hip Hop was a saving grace for a public educator. A conversation with Eric Carter Chu (BLKSOAP) on his journey as a public educator, DJ, and the grass roots community driven event; Soul Source LA. We talked about his experiences as an Afro-Chinese American and where the education system fell short, Hip Hop delivered. Eric also discussed his broad yet individualized approach when it comes to his students and the perspective that education is beyond standardized testing. Finally things got heavy and we talked about Tyisha Miller's murder and its lasting impacts.
As a public high school teacher in the SF Bay Area, his focus is on teaching youths through "the word and the world" by incorporating social/emotional health, music, film, and creative writing into his curriculum. He has piloted courses in sociology and ethnic studies in Oakland and Los Angeles Unified School District, and is currently teaching in an intensive therapeutic education program in Palo Alto.
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Time Stamps
00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:43 - Background & Origins
00:07:43 - Hip Hop vs Literacy
00:11:43 - Why I became a teacher
00:18:43 - People Can Change
00:20:23 - Childhood Racist Experiences
00:24:43 - Curriculum Representation matters
00:26:10 - Why teach High School?
00:28:00 - Story of Tyisha Miller’s Murder
00:30:48 - Your Skin Color Matches Our Description
00:37:50 - Life in Hawaii and Traveling abroad
00:44:23 - Bootleg Education
00:46:43 - Life in China
00:49:23 - Frustrations of Public Education
00:54:13 - Disparities of Public Education
01:02:43 - How to support schools and education
01:04:23 - Curriculum in Public Education
01:07:43 - Culture & Student centric education
01:10:24 - Lessons from the N* word
01:14:30 - Hip Hop Saved My Life
01:18:00 - Culture Appropriation
01:24:43 - Cancel Culture
01:27:47 - What is Critical Race Theory
01:37:30 - Getting students to believe in themselves
01:39:43 - Education is not a test
01:42:23 - School system is working as intended
01:43:43 - Homework & Penalties
01:45:13 - Nurturing curiosity, the word & the world
01:52:13 - Bridge between Digital and Analog
01:54:13 - Have healthy coping systems
01:56:13 - Importance of putting students first
01:59:33 - Believe in your students
02:00:33 - Why I got into music
02:06:33 - Better Black representation needed
02:08:43 - My father and connection to music
02:09:43 - Soul Source & Partners (Carlos Bombarlos)
02:19:43 - Beat Junkies: Mr. Choc
02:21:43 - Soul Source roles
02:25:43 - Future vision for Soul Source
02:28:13 - Special Shout Outs
02:30:43 - Closing thoughts, “One choice from a new life”
