Chapter 9: Mindfulness Practices and Hip-Hop Therapy for Marginalized Youth

In the United States, Black adolescents are pushed out of the education system, incarcerated at higher rates, and live in fear of being victims of police brutality. These factors are fueled by systemic racism, and are triggers that greatly affect the psyche of targeted youth (Bonnie et al., 2014). Emerging studies evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) practices and the implementation of hip-hop therapy (HHT) for marginalized youth, to promote improved mental health, self and communal awareness, and overall well-being. MBSR techniques incorporate practices such as yoga, deep breathing, and meditation, which are proven to have health and academic benefits. HHT is a culturally relevant practice that utilizes rap music, bibliotherapy (poetry therapy), and music therapy to attain the goal of creating a better sense of self and community, and of understanding diverse perspectives (Tyson, 2002). MBSR and HHT provide holistic interventions that support mental health and self-awareness in educational spaces.