Hip Hop Theme 2- Stealth Wealth

I remember the game we used to play sitting on the porch at my grandparents' house in Alabama, as well as in the car on road trips, "That's MY car, that's your car." Of course the clean, sharp luxury vehicle had to mine; the old, busted, broke-down hoopty had to be my sister's (or whoever else's that was with us). We wanted to have the freshest gear- no matter how trendy- and the newest, shiniest stuff because it meant you were rich. No matter how many times our mother told us that we were rich because we had our health and our family, that reasoning never really sunk in. It's amazing how the more things change the more they stay the same! My students still engage in similar behaviors; some are harmless pretending, while others seek to embarass and belittle. Ultimately, it boils down to a perception of wealth for them. I heard a few of them talking about another student's sneakers not being "real" and how certain people don't wear designer clothes or their designer labels don't "match." Yet some of their designer clothes are at the expense of a working phone or quality time with family because it takes multiple jobs for their single parent to afford the things the child needs as well as their wants.

In my 6th grade social studies classes last year I took 10 different images and asked the students to use either the word rich or poor to describe the photo. This word association was then cross-checked with the actual significance of the photo.

Here are some of the photos I used. In each case, the photo represents wealth one way or another. So when students associate rich or poor with a photo, the key is to ask WHY? That is often where the "lightbulbs" go off!!

This started a discussion about how we think of wealth as material wealth. Most kids know or at least have heard that there is more to being rich than having $$, but if they never truly examine their own judgements (now) the "you'll understand when you grow up" part of it all may never take hold. While they are inundated with images of celebrities who have all of their money on display (in some rap videos quite literally, even though it usually isn't the artist's money), as I felt we were as children too, what is the alternative to balance it out? For me it was my parents and teachers and other adults who weren't exactly filthy, stinkin' rich, but still had nice stuff, went to amazing places and did big things.

Now that I think about it, most of the people I know with massive net worth do not wear it and flash it for all to see. You would not (necessarily) be able to tell how much money they have by looking at them or what they drive... maybe you could if you knew where they lived... but kids have already internalized that money is power (all I can hear is Lil' Kim "first you get the #$%&* money, then you get the @#$%$^& power... @#$^%&*& respect you). So to them you can have power if it seems like you have money. On one hand, I do not want to discourage them from earning money but on the other, I think reinforcing their desire to (somehow) become a millionaire without a recognition of how they are already wealthy would be reckless and short-sighted. Now this sounds idealistic but everyone is rich in one way or another, and I feel that if we can identify our wealth we can also strive to attain even greater (read: meaningful) wealth whether tangible or not.

Education is my currency. It can never be taken away and it continues to grow exponentially. Its value is immeasurable and its impact is revolutionary.