OLIVET, Mich. Olivet College is hosting a series of events focusing on the complexity of hip-hop music and its current role in society on Wednesday, Feb. 15. Derek Greenfield, assistant professor of sociology at St. Augustines College in Raleigh, N.C., will headline the events with his lecture titled, Hip-Hop, Education and Social Change: Are You Really Keepin It Real? from 1 to 3 p.m. in Mott Auditorium. The lecture will focus on hip-hops potential as a tool of education and empowerment, steering away from the publics negative perception of the culture.

Greenfield will present a workshop titled Confronting Ourselves: The Personal is the Political in the Struggle for Social Change, from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Dole Halls Klock Commons. The participatory session will address the need to confront biases and take an active role in society.

Greenfield, who has earned a reputation as an educator dedicated to student empowerment and success, has been named five times to the list of Whos Who Among Americas Teachers. His course, titled Hip-Hop and American Society, has been featured twice in Source magazine.

The events are free and open to the public. They are sponsored by the Multicultural Education and Initiatives Office and part of a line-up of programs honoring Black History Month.

For more information, call (269) 749-7631.

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