HHCF Life Strategies Teacher Lisa Suhay on the Radio!!! MUST LISTEN

The incredibly bold and bright Lisa Suhay on Crockett & Waters Radio show!! A must listen...



Pt. 2



Shes awesome aint she?

-Adisa

After many losses, another victory @ WuChess!!

-Adisa

Accept the ways of others...

Very important on the boards and in life.

-HHCF

VOTE for chess at The White House online NOW

Please, everyone, go to The White House's online meeting now http://www.whitehouse.gov/openforquestions/

STEP 1: Create a sign-in.
STEP 2: Type the word "chess" into the search field. It's posted under education.
STEP 3: Vote YES for our question to be answered by the President in tonight's live chat.

Not allowed many words so question reads:
"Our Hip-Hop school chess program has created change you can help sustain. Violence is down: grades and unity are up. Mr. President, will you host the kids at The White House for chess demonstrations, so they can raise their own college funds?"
Lisa Suhay, Norfolk, Va - Education

Today on 98.5 The Peak Radio Pennsylvania

Hip-Hop Chess makes another cross-over. Radio Hosts Crockett and Waters taped a phone interview with HHCF Life Strategies Teacher from Ryan Academy High School during her journalism class to talk about the HHCF White House Chess request.
http://www.thepeak985.com/ListenLive.aspx

Here's a note from the hosts:

Lisa!

Again, many, many thanks to you & your students for taking the time out of your busy day to spend with us up here in York, PA! I'm sure our listeners are going to be most interested in your program, and as such, there wasn't a whole lot of things we could "take out" of our interview. Therefore, we're doing something we've never done in the 5 years we've been a morning show...we're breaking the interview down into two segments.

The first will air at about 8:05 or 8:35-ish tomorrow morning...the second, about 10 minutes later. We'll also likely rebroadcast the segments on Thursday or Monday in the 6am hour (either 6:05-ish & 6:15-is OR 6:35-ish and 6:45-ish).

In addition, our listeners will likely be lucky enough to hear you again later in the year in one of our many Year-End special segments...hopefully with an update on how a member of the Obama administration graced your classroom for a friendly game...

We are always excited to see creative energy used in a productive manner, and are just thrilled at how you've been able to so successfully implement this program & change the lives of your students! Congratulations to you and your students...and, again, thanks for everything!

Yours,

Crockett and Waters

Never Listen to the Critics, Live Your Life...

Alan "Gumby" Marques of Heroes Martial Arts and Adisa Banjoko doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Mind Over Matter II

PHOTO BY: Keba Armand Konte

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face in marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
- Theodore Roosevelt

The White House chess invitation: endgame traps

Posted by Lisa Suhay HHCF Life Strategies teacher,
Ryan Academy, Norfolk, Va.

I am learning fast that the danger of using the words white + house in a sentence, or the name Obama, is that some people immediately look for something negative to say. Seeing blogs turn from the issue of kids using chess to learn how to thrive and survive, getting twisted into ugly things about politicians is a built-in trap. Let's recognize the trap and make some smart moves.

This is about love, strength, diversity and economic survival through unity. Adisa Banjoko and the HHCF taught us to view chess as our tool for letting go of hate, anger and to avoid making bad decisions by thinking a few moves ahead.

We have to let the hate and fear attached to the economy and politics wash over us. We must swim through it to our island of hope, that is The White House, and a chess match that can help us raise the money we need to keep educating these children.


The Hip-Hop Chess Federation and our students in the Life Strategies Program:Ryan Academy, Norolk, Va. and John O'Connell School, Ca. are too busy trying to survive the economy and daily life to take sides. We are non-partisan and I just want to get that out there for everyone to take note and a deep breath. We aren't trying to make anyone look bad. We need our futures to look better.

We are just teachers and students trying to find a strategy to survive this economy with our spirits, dignity and minds in tact.

We are not politicians. Most of these students just learned to play chess in September, so we are not grandmasters. We are the CHANGE come to life, trying to cling to that new life in an environment where, often, it seems everything around us is trying hard to snuff us out.

Like the first queen placed on the chessboard in the days of Eleanore of Aquitaine, we are the variant, that crops up and is so versatile, strong, lively and interesting that we find the power to become the new game. We are the new game.

Like that first queen, "The Mad Queen" we need everyone, all sides, all races, religions, nations, parties and people to find the love and appreciation to support our acceptance into this game. So yes, we started with a King.

My students are fond of saying "We began this game as pawns." But they will not remain so because these kids are headed for promotion to more powerful pieces who can retain their dignity, sustain their personal change and spread the power that has been placed in their hands every time they lay them on a chess piece.

This train is bound for D.C. All A-board!

FAX your support to The White House now: 1 (202)456-2461

HHCF EXCLUSIVE: The Art of War

One of the many amazing photos from Octagon, by Kevin Lynch


The Art of War
By: Adisa Banjoko

History is a powerful thing. Those who make it history, inspire others to be great. But those who make it, cannot convey it without the historian. Some laugh at those who write or take photographs. But, if it were not for them, humanity would be millions of years behind where we are today. Without those to capture the art of the warrior, life would be much less exciting.

When Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) began to rise in North America, it was written off by many as a joke. Today we recognize it as one of the most important sports of our time. Photographer Kevin Lynch put together what is arguably the best photo book on MMA ever, entitled Octagon. It features amazing shots of BJ Penn, Kenny Florian, George St. Pierre, Jeff Monson, Quinton Jackson, Rich Franklin, Joe Stevenson, Ken Shamrock, Josh Koscheck, Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping, Matt Serra and many others. Octagon captures the courage, heart and soul of the UFC. No other book has captured the humanity of the modern martial artist. Octagon may be one of the most important books in the history of MMA. Here, he talks about what it took to capture the art of war, so he could push an underground sport from out of the shadows.

HHCF: Tell me about the creation of this book, its awesome.

Kevin Lynch: About five years ago I was doing some commercial work for the UFC. Dana had flown me to Vegas to help design a billboard for their upcoming event, Ken Shamrock Vs. Tito Ortiz. In the process, I saw a great opportunity. I was was unfamiliar with the sport, to be honest with you. But I wanted to show what these fighters really go through. Some of these guys walk in being young and inexperienced. After three rounds, they walk out a man. They go through so many emotions. The way they relate to their opponent.

So, one thing I wanted to do was shoot them right before they went out, and right after they come back. But you also see what they go through. Are they prepared or unprepared? The after shots show more of elation, or the despair of defeat. It gives you a pretty strong portrait of an Ultimate Fighter.

We just had a big show in NY with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta. Everybody flew in for this event. We also recently took the book to an art fair in London. The whole intent was to show the artistry, and get some good PR for the UFC.

HHCF: MMA and BJJ have really exploded in large part because of Dana White's marketing brilliance. This book represents another jewel in his crown, so to speak. Tell me about some of the stories behind the photos in Octagon. Tell me something you learned while shooting it?


Forrest Griffin and his famous flying knee.

Kevin Lynch: The first thing I can say is respect. They all took the time to have their portrait taken, when they really don't want to stop. They are nto in the mood to pretend they are somebody else. You are who you are. Thats why these pictures are so honest. You can really tell a lot about who these fighters are. I think most of it is first of all, the admiration I have for the dedication and sophistication of the sport over the last five years. Thats a huge transformation in itself.

These fighters have become much more refined and the sport has become much more predictable. Which makes it more exciting! Of course the guidance from Dana White and the people in the organization has been instrumental. His heart and soul is in the UFC. So the fighters have to look up to him. Theres a lot of leadership here. Plus, accessibility to the people. Thats another thing these fighters have.

In boxing, they have an entourage of 20 people. You wonder why, because a boxer can defend himself. They are so guarded. In the UFC, the regular people who are actually gettin' hurt, a person who's not a wrestler pretending to fight...He's a real person, with a lot of intelligence. Thats a sophisticated athlete we're talking about.

In the beginning Matt Hughes and Pat Milletech thought I Was a nuisance. Today we are good friends. They thought I was taking advantage of them by taking their picture when they were hurt. They thought I was taking it for my own personal gain. When it was really about rewarding the public, by giving them insight to whats really happening behind the scenes. They saw there was a lot of heart and dedication on my part. Now I've become friends with most fighters.

So I shoot the before, I go to the event. I see them right there. Then I'd run back to get the after photo and get the before shot of the next fight. This goes on all night long. As well as other shots I'd take from above the Octagon. It was a four year process. The book took another year to complete and edit. Whats unique about it was having access as one photographer from all these different areas.

HHCF: What are your 5 favorite photos and why?

Kevin Lynch: One is a compilation of 400 images put together as one wall. It one image I love. One is a photo of Matt Hughes with the flag. It shows him as who is is. A young American guy from the mid-west, a farmer. It really reflects his patriotism. The other is the Chuck Liddell victory image. He's up on the Octagon after he won his first title. An image of the Octagon after 16 events. Its very abstract. The before and after of Chuck, after he fought Randy Couture in UFC 43. Chuck was famous, but he was still excited to pose, even though he lost the fight. That gave a lot of other fighters, incentive to work with me in the future events. Another was in Miramar, after the UFC dedicated a fight to the Marines. I shot a panorama of 3000 Marines standing at attention to the flag. It was a very touching moment for me. One is of Ken Shamrock all by himself in the Octagon. It represents the idea that once the gate shuts, you cant get out, nobody can get in. You are on your own. BJ Penn, I did a trio image with him and you see the artistry of his actions and the passion in his heart. Also, Forrest and Bonnar when they both ave their hands raised after being inducted to the TUF finale. Probably the most important moment in UFC history. From that moment, the UFC sort of exploded into a phenomenon.

See more images on Octagon here: http://octagon-book.com/

Please come play with us on TWITTER!!

HEAR YEE, HEAR YEE AND ALL THAT!! YA KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN'?!?!?

www.twitter.com/hiphopchess is where you can get all the latest HHCF updates! See you soon...

-Adisa

Check? Maybe, but not checkmate

NOTE: Editorial staff removed two key elements from this piece the name of my school (Ryan Academy, Norfolk, Va.) and the HHCF! Instead of banging my head against the wall (which I only do because it feel so good when I stop) the piece is posting here to complete the broken circuit. We all know who we are anyway at this point and soon Mr. Obama will too.

I NEVER DREAMED the economy would get this bad; then, I never dreamed I would be happy after the economy forced me to give up being a children’s author and journalist to become a private high school teacher making less than $16,000 a year before taxes.
Teaching turned out to be the dream I didn’t know I had. However, with this dream comes much responsibility for those I teach and the dreams the economy is yanking out from beneath them.
Most people perceive private schools as fully-loaded finishing schools — big budgets, flashy classrooms. Too often, particularly here in the South, where many schools boomed in the days after Massive Resistance and went low at the heel when our public schools came back to life, the truth is many small, private schools exist to serve and protect those who could not thrive in pub lic school.
Teaching in the sometimes rigid and rushed, underpaid and understaffed, overworked and overcrowded environment of public schools can break students as quickly as make them.
This is not a slam on public schools, teachers or students. It’s a fact. Education has been first to cut and last/ least to fund for too long. We are in hothouses teaching snowflakes, each unique and needy in a special way. We try and race onward to fulfill standards and excel on tests, all the while trying desperately to leave no snowflake behind to melt away through the cracks in the system.
Some students, no matter how bright, melt down in public schools for a variety of reasons, and blue-collar parents take multiple jobs to give them the chance to get a privateschool education. The economy has taken a flamethrower to our scholastic icehouses; while public schools might get relief, private schools are scorched earth.
Each day I scan the tiny classroom and pray for them all to be in attendance, because I know parents have fallen behind in payments, and schools — having bent over backward — have absolutely no other choice, after months of not being able to meet meager payrolls and burgeoning bills, but to put kids out of the classroom until the tuition is paid. When the student is months from graduation, it is devastating. Two of my students have been accepted to college but have been unable to obtain scholarships or loans.
My students, who have learned to play chess and held onto the game of kings as a life raft in the perfect storm, have asked me to help them figure out how to keep afloat spiritually. Banding together, they have opted for strategy over surrender.
Two weeks ago, we all wrote the White House to challenge the president and his staff to a round of chess. We even sent one of our sets. Students have made a sponsorship form, like for a walk-a-thon, and will ask folks to pledge “change for change” — a quarter or 50 cents for every move they make against a White House opponent. Who knows? We might start a Chess Scholars Fund. Last week, the U.S. Chess Federation and U.S. Chess Trust announced their support for our Sustain the Change White House Challenge on their Web sites.
The overall strategy is to find a mate at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., so that even if some of my students fail in this economic battle, they can always have that one miraculous victory of belonging — not because they are grandmasters, famous, wealthy or PhDs, but because they refused to forfeit their hope or stalemate their dreams.
Lisa Suhay, of Norfolk, is an author and high school teacher. Contact
her at lsuhays2@cox.net.
Published in The Virginian-Pilot - Sunday, March 22, 2009

Victory in Wu Valley...again

I get killed all the time. Those who know me know I never give up....So, I won one!!! This is my first win in a while :)

-Adisa

C file 8th rank, ship sank...

So cold....

Cats never saw what was coming...

GZA is ill on the mic and the 64 squares...

-Adisa

Kingcrusher gives great insight

-Adisa

Peace is prized above victory...

Teaching Kids To Be Kings Through Chess

Photo by: Josh Levine

This is a great story by Amanda Martinez. There is an exclusive video with the RZA and a cute lil chess kid name Brunston. Enjoy!


http://missionlocal.org/2009/03/teaching-kids-to-be-kings-through-chess/

-Adisa

A rare clip of an elementary class, I had so much fun. Much respect to Casey Wong...

Why my students asked Obama to play chess with them | csmonitor.com

Why my students asked Obama to play chess with them | csmonitor.com

Posted using ShareThis

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Seek a Chess Battle w/ Obama & His Staff

If you see him, tell the President to holla at a scholar...

bishop@hiphopchessfederation.org

-Adisa

HHCF Gave a Simple, Powerful, Gift

From Lisa Suhay, HHCF Life Strategies teacher, Ryan Academy, Norfolk, Va.

Six months of chess in the classroom as a learning platform at no cost to the taxpayer or school transformed 40 students from victims into victors. Even as scholarships evaporate and expulsion awaits several senior class members for non-payment of tuition, these students have banded together and opted for strategy over surrender, writing to The White House to challenge the President and his staff to a round of chess.

It is standard for private schools nationwide to withhold report cards, transcripts and force expulsion for non-payment and the economy is about to claim the spiritual lives and hard work of the innocent at our little private high school. After all we have achieved together, some will not be able to graduate or transfer to public schools without transcripts. My own sons faced this same fate last year and we are still struggling to pay the private school debt while our sons attend public schools again. I thank my stars the school finally released the transcripts after weeks of groveling and humbling myself to the point of spiritual defeat.

This is not just a job for me; it’s deeply personal. I feel the pain and failure of the struggling parents and the terror and defeat of the students who have just begun to achieve and believe.

This is not just a game for them; this is for all the marbles that realy count for something in this life.

Out of 12 seniors, only two have gained college acceptance and only one a scholarship. While schools nationwide cool their fiscal jets and big businesses retool their corporate jets, teachers are learning to make educational bricks without straw. My classes successfully solicited free chess sets/learning materials/support/direction from: The Hip-Hop Chess Federation, The U.S. Chess Trust, Josh Waitzkin Foundation, House of Staunton and Virginia Scholastic Chess Association. Intel may even be sending a laptop so students can play online for chess scholarships.

When these students began to see the game shift toward a crushing defeat they asked me to help make it right. If I teach them one thing this year it will be, “Never, never, never give up.” We put fear, anger and frustration on the shelf, looked at the board and what material we have left to put into action and decided these dark knights will not go gently into defeat.

The strategy is to find a mate in the White House so that they can always have that one miraculous victory of belonging, not because they are Grandmasters, famous or wealthy, but because they “got game.”

This is an interesting gambit because they are not just thinking of themselves, but have issued the challenge also on behalf of the students in the only other classroom using HHCF Life Strategies Program/chess for teaching: John J. O’Connell School in San Francisco, California. Both schools have students in transformation, from underachievers (in some cases juvenile delinquent) to unsinkable believers. On Rahm Emanuel’s desk there will soon be a long cardboard tube packed with their essays, letters of request and one of their most precious possessions: a scholastic tournament set with “Mr. Prez,” scrawled in Sharpie marker on the circle of green felt under the black King.

Most people perceive private schools as fully-loaded finishing schools, while too often the truth is that many small private schools exist to serve and protect those who could not thrive in public school.

As a journalist transformed by the economy into a high school English and American government teacher it is my responsibility to set the record straight. I teach five, totally different classes each day: American Government, English composition, British Literature, Journalism and creative writing while earning less than $16,000 a year before taxes. I love this job more than anything I have ever done in my lifetime except being the mother of four boys (ages 15, 13, 10 and 5). Our private school is little more than an overlarge portable, no computers in the classrooms and blue collar families working multiple jobs to educate children who could not cope in public schools due to a wide variety of issues ranging from sheer sensitive brilliance to ADD, ADHD, OCD and serious family issues. To connect with these uniquely brilliant minds I had to step out of the box and onto the chess board.

Every student in every class learned to play chess. They all began to think, clearly and often, and before they acted. Achievers blossomed and borderline drop-outs are now making the Honor Roll and seriously thinking about college and jobs that do not involve fries or an orange jumpsuit and leg irons.

In six months these two pilot schools working with the HHCF have built self-esteem, raised standardized test scores and reached those thought to be lost causes. Now it’s all riding on one spectacularly out-of-the-box strategy and a new administration that is being given the opportunity to create change without an Act of Congress.

-30-

Take a look at the HHCF Team in SF from O'Connell High

EXCLUSIVE: Footage of HHCF Panel feat. RZA, Rakaa and Emory Tate

HHCF Martial Arts Exhibition


Donate today at www.hiphopchessfederation.org

HHCF family, I need your advice. 100% honest.

-HHCF

Highlights from Mind Over Matter II feat. Emory Tate and RZA

This is the first of many clips from the amazing day at O'Connell High in SF. We could not have done this without you.

-HHCF