TAKE BACK THE MIC (TBTM) IS:

A MOVEMENT to empower young people through the arts and technology

A NETWORK of corporate, educational & government partners.

A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, proving we can do well by doing good.

Partners:
NJ Performing Arts Center, Newark Arts High School, TBTM Bay Area, Image of Change, CITI Performing Arts Center

Recent TBTM lectures include:

• CITI Performing Arts Ctr. Spectrum Series (Nov 2010)
• Michigan Arts Alliance (October 2010)
• Boston Public Schools (July 2010)
• Connecticut Higher Order Thinking Schools (July 2010)
• Americans for the Arts Half‐Century Summit (June 2010)
• Florida Arts Alliance (June 2010)

THE FOUNDER
Oprah Radio host, musician, public speaker, author, and self‐avowed techie, Derrick N Ashong was born in Ghana, immigrated with his family to the U.S. and, later, spent much of his childhood in the Middle East. Derrick graduated from Harvard University, where he focused on music and African American studies. While at Harvard, he created the band Soulfège. Derrick has been a TED fellow, is an Americas Business Council fellow and is the CITI Performing Arts Center’s first Spectrum Boston Fellow. His experiences connecting with young people and serving communities through the arts and technology led him to establish Take Back the Mic, in order to inspire a new generation of youth to write their own destinies.

SOULFÈGE
“A spirit of promise and hope and harmony…” ‐ VanityFair.com
Debuted at #8 on JamBands.com/RELIX Magazine Radio Chart (Mar 2010)
Debuted in Top 100 of JazzWeek World Radio Chart (Mar 2010)
Winner 2007 Billboard Songwriting Contest: Best Hip Hop Song
Featured: Boston Globe, Boston Herald, MTV Africa, BET‐J, NPR, BBC WorldService
Videos aired in 50+ countries across Africa, Europe, Caribbean & N. America