George Martinez and The Global Block Collective

November 30, 2011 By

 

George Martinez & the Global Block Collective:
The Global Block harnesses the spirit of innovation, creativity and activism at the core of the Hip-Hop movement to empower youth and transform communities across the globe. The founder of the Global Block is the Hon. George Martinez, aka Rithm who is an official US Hip Hop Ambassador, renowned educator, award winning activist and Hip Hop political pioneer. He is the co-author of, The Organic Globalizer: The Political Development of Hip Hop and the Prospects for Global Transformation, (New Political Science, 2010), and the 1st practicing Hip Hop emcee elected to political office in the US (2002).
Global Block Collective and The Occupy Movement

“The tracks that we recorded are original tracks inspired by the #OWS movement and were developed in Solidarity with #OWS and #OccupyTheHood. They feature husband and wife recording artists, George Martinez and Sylara Guerrero of the Global Block Collective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qdVs0ryJpM

After returning to NYC on Sept 19, 2 days after the occupy movement began, after a 6 week Hip Hop Diplomacy Mission to Colombia (South America) with the US Embassy, International Organization of Migration, USAID, and UNODC, George, Jelani Mashariki and other the members of the Global Block Collective began organizing in several ways at #OWS. Since then George has been identified as one of the “ad hoc” leaders “the ambassador” by Crain’s NY http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20111113/ECONOMY/311139975

On November 17, 2011, George, Sylara, Jelani and 5 other members of the Global Block Collective filled Foley Square with the sounds of inspirational Hip Hop to over 35,000 people as the Official Band of the 2 month anniversary of OWS. To George, Sylara and the Global Block family the Occupy Movement represents the reemergence of the space of transformational hopefulness and imaginative activism, they are proud to be a part of the Occupy Music Benefit Album.”
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