**Celebrate community health and wellness & the Healing Power of HipHop at the Legendary Children’s Fairyland with a Back to School Event for Oakland Unified School District and the  24-25 School Year!** 

HipHop Fairyland Returns to Oakland: Celebrating the Healing Power of HipHop and Health

Oakland, CA - July 1, 2024 - HipHop Fairyland, the highly anticipated second iteration of Oakland’s annual celebration of the Healing Power of HipHop, Health, and Community, is set to take place on August 17, 2024. This unique event is a collaborative effort between Children’s Fairyland, The City of Oakland, and Hip Hop Scholastics, aimed at engaging diverse families from Oakland through a vibrant Hip Hop Health Fair.

This year’s HipHop Fairyland will build upon the success of last year, where we served 1,025 people, with a new target of reaching 2,500 Oakland children and families. The event will feature a wide array of activities designed to promote dental and mental health, school readiness, and overall wellness.

Event Highlights:

• Healthcare Services: Community partners, including The Alameda County Public Health Department, Baywell Health, and Jav the Dentist will provide: vaccinations, blood pressure checks, diabetes screening, dental screenings, dental kits, mental health services, and health kits to attendees to make sure you have everything you need to enroll in school! 

• Back 2 School: In partnership with Oakland Unified School District this is a back-to-school event, specifically targeting elementary schools and child development centers with the lowest school readiness indicators in Oakland to make sure kids and families have everything they need to enroll and regularly attend school!

• Artistic and Therapeutic Workshops: Five teaching artists and performers will engage children in HipHop art forms such as beat making, aerosol art, rhyming, and break dancing. These workshops are designed not only as educational experiences but also as therapeutic activities to help mitigate the effects of trauma and PTSD.

• Interactive Workshops & Performances:

• Today's Future Sound will conduct Therapeutic Beat Making Workshops.

  1. Aerosoul Art will teach HipHop’s visual art forms, leveraging research into art therapy.

  2. The Peoples Conservatory will offer HipHop dance & Rhyming workshops, focusing on stress and anxiety reduction.

  3. Ace Kids Golf will introduce children to golf in the meadow.

  4. HipHop Scholastics will provide educational HipHop Curriculum

• Activities and Experiences:

• Emily Butterfly will bring storytelling theater to life with a focus on oral health 

  1. Book Giveaway: We will distribute over 500 free copies of the Dentist & the Fire Breathing Dragon, a children’s book focused on oral health.

• Community Recognition: The event will feature city proclamations honoring local educational leaders and students for their contributions.

Metrics from last year indicate that partnerships between kid-focused locations, local governments, and artists significantly enhance family engagement, bringing joy, healing, and community involvement. We are grateful to our volunteers, donors, sponsors, and community partners who make this event possible.

Join us on August 17, 2024, at Children’s Fairyland for a day filled with fun, learning, and healing. Together, we can celebrate the transformative power of HipHop and promote a healthier, happier Oakland community.

For more information and to get involved, please visit www.hiphopscholastics.org

 or contact us at hiphopscholastics@gmail.com