Cultural and Ethnic Studies

Shirette Ammons, from Eastern North Carolina, grows up with a family with 30 people and with poor living and economy condition, she had short-material childhood, however, it made her learn to see world differently. She has passion towards hip hop music and met a girl German hip hop singer, Sooke, she went to Germany to perform with her, and that she realizes she won't be able to perform only in domestic but internationally. Then, she joined a organization called Next Level where Hip Hop is a form of language that unites people and remove the invisible barriers that kept people apart. As Ammons discussed in her lecture, hip-hop is being used in different places to challenge stereotypes and foster social change. Although hip-hop originated in the US, it was soon exported around the world. The Next Level initiative of the US Department of State uses hip-hop as a medium to foster cross-cultural exchanges, understanding, and conflict resolution in undeserved communities. Explain how cultural diplomacy, such as the Next Level initiative, can increase understanding on a macro level between (often) very different cultures.