Brooke Widder
What is “political education”? From your perspective, and drawing on evidence from the
reading, can art, music, and other forms of creative expression be used as tools for political
education? If so, how so? If not, why not?
Reflection 11
Political education is educating people on the current conflicts there may be in communities,
groups, or in general. They are activist who seek out to inform individuals in our communities
and people this may affect to try and bring light upon a situation to make a change in anything
from litigation to overall awareness.
You can absolutely use music and art to influence people. People respond to the dramatic
music in the commercials of dogs that need saved or adopted. Music can make you feel
emotions and I think that it could absolutely be useful in a variety of media productions for
campaigns. It can set the mood for what you are trying to accomplish by playing music that
resembles what you want people to feel.
There have been photographers who take pictures of other cultures ways of life,
environment, and people. Through these images you can kind of tell the tale, as though a picture
can speak a thousand words. For example, you could be taking pictures of homeless person to
spread awareness about what it means to live on the street and share their story. This would be a
great campaign to raise funding for your local homeless population.
If I were to hear music and their empowering story in combination, it would be a lot
more convincing than someone calling and asking for money for this campaign. I see on social
media a lot of people using free verse poetry to educate people on issues such as gender equality,
and they are getting thousands of views going viral. These short 4-minute videos infusing
passion and their words are magnetizing with rhythm and power. Rap music as well has always
talked about and educated people on what life may be like living in a gang and on the streets,
how life was living in the hood. Using their words and music they are able to depict what life
may be struggling with this lifestyle or at cross-roads. They may be talking about how they
wished they would have never done those crimes while they were on the streets, or about how
precious life is and how they want a better future for their kids. Recently Kanye West named his
new album Jesus is King and was able to bring over 1,000 people to get saved. People with this
kind of influence naturally become leaders and can be so influential when trying to bring change.
I love all of the creative ways that people are coming up with ways to educate. Chapter
9 Education for Engagement states, “Many Organizations are now experimenting with cultural
production as a political-educational tool, which results in murals or CDs created by the
community members in collaboration with artists.” In the article Artists as Organizers it states,
“People’s creativity has value and power.” In the Artists as Organizers it talks about how the
community of St. Paul, Minnesota came together when the stakeholders began to create art
projects in their city depicting 200 different perspectives through murals and signage, as well as
performances and mobile arts projects.
