Magic, Alive: Afrofuturism and Black Feminism through the Works of McKinley Dixon and Little Simz

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 1:45 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Black Feminism, Voice, and Hip Hop Praxis

Abstract

In a time when students are grappling with systemic injustice, racial violence, and the erasure of critical narratives in education, hip-hop offers a powerful pedagogical entry point into conversations about identity, resistance, and future-making. This presentation explores how the works of McKinley Dixon and Little Simz, two contemporary radical hip-hop artists, can serve as foundational texts in PK–20 learning environments. Grounded in hip-hop pedagogy and critical education theory, we position Dixon’s and Simz’s music not only as cultural artifacts, but as pedagogical tools that invite students to imagine liberated futures while interrogating the present. By bringing these voices into the classroom, educators can create spaces where music becomes a means of critical reflection, community engagement, and transformative learning.

Author

• Christian Michael Folk, University of Texas at Austin