NOIZ—April in Santa Cruz festival opening

NOIZ: An Evening of Words, Sounds + Ideas is a live gathering at the intersection of Hip Hop, activism, and the spoken word—a space where music meets testimony. Hosted by assistant professor and hip hop artist akua naru, the evening features live student performances, a DJ set, and an intimate conversation with guest artist/performer Edd Wheeler: pioneering Brazilian rapper, founding member of As Damas do Rap, the first female Hip Hop group in Rio de Janeiro, and practicing lawyer and organizer whose life and work embody the transformative power of the emcee as witness, visionary, and change agent. Wheeler is joined with collaborators akua naru, spoken-word poet and musician Azmera Hammouri-Davis, and a student ensemble led by Ananya Balagere and Romare Uyeda-Hale. Download and share the event flyer here.

This event is a co-production of the UCSC Hip Hop Lab, Creative Technologies, Porter College, and the April in Santa Cruz Festival of Creative Music.
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ADMISSION
– Free and open to UCSC affiliates only
– Attend in-person at the Digital Arts Research Center
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PARKING
– Parking by UCSC permit or ParkMobile
– Arts Lot #126 is the closest parking lot to the event
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)
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FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
– This year’s festival includes seven events between April 15 and May 21, 2026
– Additional April in Santa Cruz events and information at aprilsc.ucsc.edu
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NOIZ: An Evening of Words, Sounds + Ideas
SOUND, STORY, AND RADICAL THOUGHT

image: photo of Edd Wheeler
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This event is open to UCSC affiliates, consistent with state and federal law.