Pam Prosise Rap2

Introduction : 

Introduction Although, according to a 2007 National Endowment for the Arts study, literacy rates for Hispanics in the U.S. are on the rise, our schools continue to struggle to engage many English Language Learners in reading and writing. In an effort to strengthen student skills and support a culture shift toward a view of literacy as “cool” in McMinnville middle schools, the students shown in this presentation attended a class in which they read, wrote about, and discussed text that focused on Latinos. We began each class period with a celebration of student voices in the form of a rap, and with producing images to represent and accompany the lyrics.

We Matter Rap : 

We Matter Rap

Presented by McMinnville School District English Language Literacy Learners : 

Presented by McMinnville School District English Language Literacy Learners

We are a thread in the fabric : 

We are a thread in the fabric

of the community : 

of the community

Somos hilo : 

Somos hilo

en el tejido : 

en el tejido

de la comunidad : 

de la comunidad

We are a link : 

We are a link

in the chain : 

in the chain

of our family : 

of our family

Somos parte de la cadena : 

Somos parte de la cadena

de la familia : 

de la familia

We are a voice for the silent : 

We are a voice for the silent

in the wilderness : 

in the wilderness

Somos la voz : 

Somos la voz

por los callados : 

por los callados

en la comunidad : 

en la comunidad

We are a light : 

We are a light

that illuminates : 

that illuminates

so our city shines : 

so our city shines

Somos la luz que brilla : 

Somos la luz que brilla

en nuestra cuidad : 

en nuestra cuidad

You matter! : 

You matter!

I matter! : 

I matter!

You matter! : 

You matter!

I matter! : 

I matter!

You matter! : 

You matter!

Slide 29: 

I matter!

You matter! : 

You matter!

I matter! : 

I matter!

You matter! : 

You matter!

I matter! : 

I matter!

!Tu importas! : 

!Tu importas!

!Yo importo! : 

!Yo importo!

!Tu importas! : 

!Tu importas!

!Yo importo! : 

!Yo importo!

!Tu importas! : 

!Tu importas!

!Yo importo! : 

!Yo importo!

!Tu importas! : 

!Tu importas!

!Yo importo! : 

!Yo importo!

!Tu importas! : 

!Tu importas!

!Yo importo! : 

!Yo importo!

It all starts : 

It all starts

to unravel : 

to unravel

If you don’t fight for your voice : 

If you don’t fight for your voice

Hopin’ you don’t ever : 

Hopin’ you don’t ever

want to make that choice : 

want to make that choice

We’re all in this together : 

We’re all in this together

there just ain’t no denyin’ : 

there just ain’t no denyin’

If it doesn’t work this time : 

If it doesn’t work this time

…just gotta keep on tryin’ : 

…just gotta keep on tryin’

No matter how blind people are : 

No matter how blind people are

one day, they’re gonna see : 

one day, they’re gonna see

We are a link in the chain of the community : 

We are a link in the chain of the community

Slide 57: 

Credits Lyrics by McMinnville School District Middle and High Schools ELL Literacy Students and Pam Prosise Spanish translation by McMinnville Middle Schools ELL Literacy Students *Beatbox Music by Art of Noise *Get Up, Stand Up by Bob Marley Family photo from Morguefiles.com Technical Training and Assistance by the Oregon Writing Project at Willamette *Music downloads purchased through MP3VA.com