Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Edwin Freeman to the Restorative Works! Podcast.
What happens when hip hop culture meets restorative practices in the classroom? Edwin Freeman, actor, filmmaker, educator, and founder of the Hip Hop Harmony Program, helps us explore how art, culture, and restorative circles are transforming urban schools. Through the Freeman Foundation for the Arts, he developed Hip Hop Harmony, a groundbreaking social-emotional learning program rooted in hip hop's four elements: rap, dance, art, and self-knowledge. By blending restorative practices with hip hop culture, Edwin creates spaces where students feel seen, heard, respected, and accepted. Instead of punishment, students address conflict through rap battles, dance, art, and dialogue, strengthening their sense of belonging and leadership skills. Edwin Freeman is a professional actor, filmmaker, and educator who serves as Program Director of the Hip-Hop Harmony Program. The program operates in New York City high schools and will expand to elementary and middle schools next year, with endorsements from the New York City Offices of the Mayor, State Senator, and City Council Speaker. Edwin's entertainment credits include the blockbuster film Notorious and Netflix's Marvel's Luke Cage. As an independent filmmaker, he has produced and directed the critically acclaimed documentaries Modern Day Slavery: From Plantations to Prisons and Beats & Lyrics: The Essence of Rap. He currently serves as President of The Freeman Foundation for the Arts, a charitable organization focused on arts education and youth development. Through his work, Freeman demonstrates how hip-hop culture and restorative practices circles can effectively address social-emotional learning in urban educational settings. Tune in to hear more as Edwin shares how his curriculum helps students carry restorative skills beyond the circle, into hallways, friendships, and their communities.
