TakingITGlobal, Amazon Future Engineer and Amazon Music collaborated with Warner Music Canada on a special event to encourage a diverse cohort of students to tackle racial and social justice issues through technology, collaboration and music.
Your Voice is Power is a music remix competition and educational collaboration which teaches computer science and coding skills to middle and high school students, including young people from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
On Friday, May 10, a group of Toronto District School Board students visited Warner Music Canada’s event space at The Well to participate in a one-day Your Voice is Power “hackathon” where they learned to code by remixing music using a free online coding editor, EarSketch.
In addition to building coding skills by remixing music from Indigenous artists, the students engaged in discussions on the history of hip hop music, Indigenous reconciliation, and racial and social inequality. Students had the chance to submit their very own remixes to the programs’ annual remix competition for a chance to win a $5,000 prize.
Students were also treated to a panel discussion featuring Indigenous artist Wolf Saga and leaders from Amazon Music and Warner Music, which addressed the intersections between music and technology and future career paths in the industry.
When asked about the importance of Indigenous people seeing themselves represented in the music industry, Saga noted, “Representation is important. Especially in the current climate within Indigenous music. It’s vital that the young Indigenous artists of the future are able to see that there are role models and opportunities and voices out there that come from the same place.”
In June, a panel of experts made up of Amazon Music team members, computer scientists, academics, and industry professionals will judge the student remixes made during the workshop (as well as hundreds more from across the country expected to be submitted in this year’s competition). The lucky winners will be announced in September where two students, one Indigenous and one ally, will each be awarded a $5,000 prize.
WHO’S INVOLVED?
TakingITGlobal is a leading network of young people committed to fostering youth engagement and creating lasting solutions to global challenges.
Amazon Future Engineer is a comprehensive childhood-to-career program built to increase access to computer science education for students from underrepresented communities.
Amazon Music is an immersive audio entertainment service that connects fans, artists, and creators through music, podcasts, and culture.
Warner Music Canada, is a creative, artist-centric music company utilizing state-of-the art technologies to deliver for their artists, listeners and partners. Warner Music was a trailblazing force in the recorded music industry’s transition to digital, and in an ever-evolving industry it continues to successfully manage, market and distribute content across a vast array of online platforms.
Learn more about “Your Voice is Power” and how local students and families can participate at yourvoiceispower.ca.
