By Maya Douglas//Hood’s newly formed Urban Outlet is preparing for their upcoming showcase featuring performances from Hood students, a live band and a modeling portion on Nov. 11.
The Urban Outlet is a subgroup of the All About Me modeling and fashion club. It was created by junior, Christiana Morris in her efforts to create an uncensored place on campus for students to express themselves.
“I just noticed that this campus was lacking something.”
The uncensored showcase features mainly rap, two singers and a live band.
“It just a place where I come to express myself and feel like I’m not being judged,” Chis Lafantant, a freshman, said.
“I think the showcase will really encourage people to join and support it once they see what it is all about. I’m excited,” he said.
The small group has crafted the show with limited light and sound technicians, and two collaborating creative directors.
Morris has been preparing the performers each week by focusing on a different element of performing.
“We work on something different each week, the first week we worked on memorizing lyrics. This week we’re focusing on stage presence, they’re getting a lot better.”
Creating other parts of the show has proven to be more of a challenge Morris said.
“At first I thought I would be just like a talent show, but there’s so much more. I had to get people trained to do lights and work music.”
Through all of the problems that have occurred for the group it’s really coming together, All About Me advisor Samantha Johnston said.
“This is all Christiana, she came to me with the idea and everything. I just gave her the platform,” Johnston said.
Johnston identifies with the sentiment that students can sometimes be censored.
“It’s just known right from the get go that it’s okay to say what they want, and we let the audience know too if, that’s something that would make them[the audience] uncomfortable,” she said.
The show came together under a sponsorship from All About Me, and is not yet it’s own organization, but Morris would love to see it grow into one.
“I think that this so important as a concept because if you aren’t into sports or science and tech, especially in middle or high school, you start to feel ignored. I want the Urban Outlet to show people that you can be into rap, or any art really, that they are important and matter.”
“We need visual artists, graphic artists, promotion, and people that are good with tech. Anyone who’s willing to help can help,” Morris said.
After branching out into a separate organization, Morris would love to see the urban Outlet Model turn into a program for middle or high school students.
A history and secondary education major, she wishes to work in an inner city school once she finishes her education.
Chris Lafantant sees the group as an accepting place and is looking forward to its growth.
“It’s a release to not feel judged about wanting to rap,” he said.
Urban Outlet performs
“I see it growing into something really big. We welcome all types of rappers, poets. It just expression, and I think it’s really important.”