The Gathering
Conversations.
Learning.
Community.
Part of The SOTA Movement.
What is The Gathering?
The Gathering is the opening experience of The SOTA Movement. It brings artists, educators, and community members together through conversation, workshops, cultural exchange, and shared learning. Each festival explores a different theme, offering new perspectives while remaining rooted in Hip Hop and Street culture.
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Workshops
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Community Conversations
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Cultural Exchange
Over the Years
TBA
2027
Celebration of Women in Hip Hop
Hosted by Maia Maiden Productions
2025
Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
Hosted by TruArtSpeaks
2023
The Gathering is one of a kind experience guaranteed to start your summer in celebration. Network, mingle and re●mix Hip Hop and street style—come ready,
ready to rock with The SOTA Movement!
celebrating WOMEN
IN hip hop
with A ONE OF A KIND CYPHER WORKSHOP,
food, and music!
2025
Toni Blackman
THE POWER OF THE CYPHER: FLOW & LET GO | Workshop
Toni Blackman is an award-winning MC, poet, and cultural leader, known for pioneering Hip Hop theater, education, and diplomacy. As the U.S. State Department’s first Hip Hop Cultural Ambassador, she’s performed and led workshops in 50+ countries. Founder of Freestyle Union and Rhyme Like a Girl, Toni’s work centers the transformative power of the Cypher. An Echoing Green and Open Society Fellow, her performances span Arena Stage, the Kennedy Center, and international festivals. She’s the rap coach for Disney+’s The Crossover, a published author, and creator of the docu-series A Woman’s Place is in the Cypher with new music releasing soon along with the audiobook, Wisdom of the Cypher. Toni lives between New York, Senegal and Ghana.
Lt. Sunnie
Host
Raised in the Rondo Neighborhood in Saint Paul, MN and known for her raw, uplifting, and barrier-breaking performances - Lt. Sunnie has a wealth of music experience from co-producing long form multidisciplinary productions including rap, spoken word, and movement art to being a background vocalist for an 11 piece band to completing her first 10 stop tour in summer of 2023 as an opening act and presenting concerts with her own original work like Big Feelings and Who She Think She Is?! Lt. Sunnie is an alumni artist of esteemed organizations and movements like TruArtSpeaks and Ordway GreenRoom.
DJ Michel.Be
DJ
With family roots in Chicago, DJ Michel.Be was raised on the Southside of Minneapolis. Radical healing and revolutionary practice lies at the core of their artistry and community involvement. For over 10 years as a DJ, curator and radio host, Michel.Be has hosted residencies and performed at venues across the Twin Cities and in Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. From local to international, vinyl to digital, DJ Michel.Be aims to embody the evolving spiritual chronicle of music in pursuit of The Afro Future.
celebrating 50 years
of hip hop
with Street Artists, Visual Art,
food, and music!
2023
Tish Jones
Host
Tish Jones is a poet, educator, organizer and cultural producer from Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is the Founder & Executive Director of TruArtSpeaks - an arts & culture nonprofit based in Saint Paul – and is the Former Director of the Brave New Voices international youth poetry slam festival. Her work explores the ways in which art can function as a tool for social transformation, liberation, and education.
Jordan Hamilton
Visual Artist
Jordan M. Hamilton (b.1989) is a multi-disciplinary artist based in the Twin Cities. Bridging spirit aspirations & connections to earthly transformations & expressions - Jordan’s work explores cosmic & elemental energies through abstract & surrealist painting, iconography, sculpture, collage, adornment, puppetry, mixed media & music.
DJ Neeka So Dope
DJ
Born and raised in MPLS, Neeka had a childhood that consisted of constant movement. From Dance to Sports and everything in between. Her creative journey started in Dance and from that came Fashion Design and wardrobe Styling. With Music as therapy to keep her going she always wanted to become a DJ, it wasn't until DEC 2016 when Neeka officially bought her first controller and started to learn the basic techniques. Fast Forward just a year later she has DJ'd all over the city and hopes to continue spreading love and positive energy through all platforms.
