Teachrock.org / Rock and Soul Forever Foundation

EdWeb Alert! Join #TeachRock and Positive Legacy for an inspiring edWebinar that explores how education, environmental activism, and music intersect—featuring unique perspectives from Indigenous musicians, politicians, and activists. Register here- https://buff.ly/xwoSR3e

Octavia Butler was born on June 22nd, 1947. She was a novelist who won each of Sci-Fi's highest honors and a writer who was well ahead of her time. Best known for her Parable series- PARABLE OF THE SOWER (1993), New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and PARABLE OF THE TALENTS (1995), winner of Nebula Award for the best science fiction novel published that year, Butler's stories focused on theories of race, global warming, political disparity, and societal decline. Her compelling characters and social observations granted her with the MacArthur “Genius” Grant and PEN West Lifetime Achievement Award for her body of work. A dedicated and driven worker, Butler would wake up at 2am every morning to write on top of working multiple jobs to finance her life as a writer. Although interest in her books was on the rise around the time of her death in 2006, their popularity skyrocketed after her death as people started to feel the relevance of her Afro-Futuristic and feminist themes. Today, Butler's novels are taught in over 200 colleges and universities, and one of her books, WILD SEED (1980), is being adapted into a drama series produced by Amazon Studios and JuVee Productions (Viola Davis & Julius Tennon’s production company).

We love to hear from students and teachers about the impact of our curriculum. Share your experience with #TeachRock in the comments below or DMs.

In January 2023, S?nia Guajajara was the first Indigenous woman appointed to lead a ministry in Brazilian government; she inaugurated the role of Minister of Indigenous Peoples. While Guajajara worked as a teacher and nurse earlier in her life, she was active in Indigenous organizations such as the Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon and The Articulation of the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil. With Minister Guajajara at the helm, Brazil has taken major strides in recognizing Indigenous communities and ensuring that their voices shape the national agenda. In the two years since her appointment, Brazil has recognized 13 territories as Indigenous land. During her tenure, she has prioritized instituting policies that center Indigenous people and protect biodiversity in the face of climate change. Sonia Guajajara says, “We must continue to communicate the importance of Indigenous Peoples and territories – for Brazil, for the world, for the climate,” In our lesson "Indigenous Voices in Global Environmental Protection" students hear from Sonia Guajajara directly as she explains the ways that Indigenous wisdom and practice can inform environmental stewardship. Click the link in bio to learn more.

In preparation for #EarthDay, the theme of this week's EdWeb is "Engaging Students in Environmental Action through Music"! Join TeachRock for a discussion on the connection between education, environmental activism, and music, featuring unique perspectives from Indigenous musicians, politicians, and activists. Register here- https://buff.ly/tgcseTH

We love to hear from students and teachers about the impact of our curriculum. Share your experience with #TeachRock in the comments below or DMs.

Known for her haunting vocals and activism, Joan Baez was a pioneer in Folk music. She was born on January 9th, 1941 in Staten Island, NY. When she was 13, Joan and her family relocated to California, where she was introduced to the Folk genre at her first Pete Seeger concert. After completing high school in 1958, she recorded her first demo tape, which featured her singing while accompanying herself on guitar. That same year, she would move back East to Boston where Baez started to explore the growing Follk scene. By 1959, she was performing regularly at small clubs across the city. Eventually, she met Bob Gibson who Baez performed with at the famous Newport Folk Festival where she wowed the audience and fellow artists. Baez's performance at the festival catapulted her career. She was able to sign a record deal and release her first self-titled solo album in 1960. After her first album release, she toured extensively and leaned into activism, refusing to perform in front of segregated audiences. She also sang "We Shall Overcome" at the March on Washington alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The song became synonymous with the civil rights movement. In 1962, she recorded her first live album, which granted her her first of nine Grammy nominations.

Ladama is a musical group comprised of musicians: Mafer Bandola, Lara Klaus, and Daniela Serna. All from different countries, these women band together as Ladama in pursuit of their mission to empower women and youth around their communities. The group composes music, creates media content, performs concerts, and conducts workshops that focus on engaging young people via music performance in communities throughout South America and beyond. Our collaborative unit plan on South American song, dance, and community was at the heart of our workshop @sxswedu 2023! #Traceitback with us at the link here- https://buff.ly/OJ6hLG0

In preparation for #EarthDay, the theme of next week's EdWeb is "Engaging Students in Environmental Action through Music"! Join TeachRock for a discussion on the connection between education, environmental activism, and music, featuring unique perspectives from Indigenous musicians, politicians, and activists. Register here- https://buff.ly/jaDC4sI

If you are in the New York area, come support #TeamTeachRock at the #UnitedAirlinesNYCHalf this Sunday, March 16th. Join TeachRock and members of Wall Street Dead aHead along the 13.1 mile route to cheer our runners on! Even if you can't show your love in person, you can support our work with a #donation at the link in bio to help our runners reach their goals! #RunForTeachRock https://buff.ly/cYDIDKc