Created By: Trevor Claiborn

Farmer Brown Tha MC’“Farmer Brown Tha MC was created to develop more practical, efficient,

holistic approaches in engaging and informing Black and other underrepresented

groups in urban and rural communities of the concept of sustainability and the

opportunities and resources available through a culturally palatable understanding

of agriculture and natural resources. The overall goal is to assist people in these

communities in improving quality of life and cultivating a more efficient sustainable

workforce.

This program is designed to address the cultural disparities present in

agriculture and STEM related fields and the need to increase academic

opportunities and career paths to counter stagnant wages, under employment, and

lack of skillsets within this industry.

As the 2nd largest sector for employment in America, this model

provides exploration and self-discovery for paths for leaving generational poverty

towards means of self-sufficiency found in a more agrarian appreciation.

Similar Productions

“Fat Albert and the Gang”

"Brainchild"

"Bill Nye the Science Guy"

"Beakman's World"

“For the racial and ethnic groups being depicted in

productions and other area of communication, the effects

of exposure depends on the quantity and quality of

portrayals.”

Media, Council On Communications And. "Media Use in School-Aged Children

and Adolescents." Pediatrics. November 01, 2016.

Solution/Research Based Approach:

The Farmer Brown Tha MC series is tailored specifically to Black and other minority communities

intentionally depicting Black men and women in leading roles, informational roles, sometimes comical roles, serious

roles and knowledgeable roles around agriculture following black producers and scientists. This project is intended to

contribute to building a more mainstream, futuristic ag /science conscious culture within the targeted communities.

As there are many educational productions that include Black and ethnic minority characters as a

supporting role or even lead role in some instances, there are very few productions depicting a minority as the leader

of the room, especially in regards to agriculture. By incorporating original modern sounding hip hop vocals and

production, I have developed a proven researched based method of not only engaging and informing the targeted

demographic as well as other ethnicities.

Problem

According to the US Dept. of Education, in 2016, of the 30,143 Agricultural degrees awarded, White

earned 27,220 (90%), Hispanic or Latino earned 2,774 (9.2%), Black or African Americans earned 1,222

(4.5%). As the average age of farmers is increasing and the number of students pursuing agricultural

studies and careers remain stagnant, it is important to engage minority communities to bring awareness

to the opportunities within agriculture, which may not be as obvious or culturally relatable. (3)

Because of lack of representation, negative connotations, lack of diversity in decision making

positions, and historic discrimination amongst other intentional and unintentional factors, Black or

those classified as African American, who once made up 15% of farmers in the 1920’s now make up less

than 2% of primary farm operators. This group makes up only 4% of degree holders in agriculture.

African American Farmers in United States

1920’s 15%

20122%

Land Ownership/Primary Operators

Academics

30,143 Agriculture Degrees awarded in 2016

White 27,220 (90%) Hispanic or Latino 2,774 (9.2%) Black or African American 1,222 (4.5%)

“It would also be beneficial if more of the agriculture companies and industries showed

African Americans participating in the industry. Making these images more available may

help African American youth see the kind of jobs they could have if they chose agriculture

as a career.”(2,5)

“Of 3,320 children’s books published in 2018, 390 books are about African Americans and

194 is written or authored by this group. Of 240 about Latinx, 187 is written by this group,

of 34 written about Native Americans, 23 is written by that group”(11)

“Black, Hispanic, and Asian 8-18 year olds spend on average 4 ½ more media daily than

their white counterparts”(4)

“For the racial and ethnic groups being depicted in productions and other areas of

communication, the effects of exposure depends on the quantity and quality of

portrayals.”(8)

“Hip-hop culture extended its own parameters by permeating the realms of sports, tech

and venture capitalism. By the next election cycle, it will have dominated these three

industries, too.”

RESEARCH FINDINGS

Products, Results, Outcomes:

Increased focus on various S.T.E.A.M. and agriculture career paths to youth in underrepresented populations to

address educational media/content disparities

Culturally competent modern extension youth outreach and community engagement strategies and

programming targeting youth and families via digital platforms and modern technology

Identify key stakeholders and organizations who patronize and benefit from this programming

Published literature and audio content available for retail

Pipeline influencing minority populations enrolling in Ag/S.T.E.A.M. programs, Pursuing Ag careers

Fundraising opportunities for participating schools & organizations via live presentations and performances

Bio:

Trevor Claiborn aka Farmer Brown Tha MC,

resident of Lexington, KY., is an author, producer, songwriter, entertainer,

environmental educator, extension professional, agriculturalist, youth

program director and public speaker.

During his undergrad studies at Kentucky State University where he

received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Food, & Environment, he

developed the character and programming for his award winning

research project; Farmer Brown Tha MC, exploring ways to engage youth

in agriculture and natural sciences using hip-hop audio and video

productions and presentations.

From 2016 to the present, Claiborn has presented about agriculture,

diversifying agricultural and STEM Fields, creative youth engagement

strategies, and his research to more than 150 venues to tens of thousands

of youth & families across the country including k-12 classrooms, college

classrooms, community events, churches, gymnasiums, theatres and more.

Traction

Partnerships, sponsorships, & grants from:

Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center in Lexington, KY

Community Action Council

NAAEE National Association of Environmental Education

Partners for Youth (Lexington KY)

New Future Foundation. (NGO) United Nations delegate (NY, NY)

UK Federal Credit Union (Lexington KY)

Lexington Public Library (Lexington KY)

KY Farmers Markets

Kentucky State University (Frankfort KY)

University of Kentucky (Lexington KY)

KY Public Schools (Kentucky)

Religious institutions

Honors, Awards, & Press Coverage:

Rising Star Award from Kentucky Association of Environmental Educators

(KAEE) Louisville, KY 2016

Central Kentucky Diversity Consortium MOSAIC Award at 2016 MOSAIiC

Conference,

Berea, KY,

Association Of 1890's Research & Development (ARD) Research Symposium 2017

2ND Place in Community and Outreach ATLANTA, GA

May 2016. Awarded Citation of Recognition on House Floor,

Kentucky House of Representatives

December 4th — Farmer Brown Featured on WDRB (FOX News)

(Louisville, KY) 2016

December 14th — Farmer Brown featured on WKYT (CBS)

(Lexington, KY) 2016

https://m.state-journal.com/2015/11/19/k-states-farmer-brown-aims-to-inspire-

moreminority-farmers/

State Journal Frankfort KY

http://www.kentucky.com/living/home-garden/article130590194.html

Lexington Herald Leader

http://www.wdrb.com/story/33862621/farmer-brown-entertains-educates-

nextgeneration-of-farmers

WDRB FOX news Louisville, KY.

https://www.pbs.org/show/kentucky-life/

Kentucky Life Interview (KET)

https://periscopeforweb.com/facebook-live/2017/12/12/our-people-need-to-grow-

our-own-food-this-brother-farmer-brown-is-rapping-about-it-and-the-kids-love-it-

intellectualchocolate-com

Intellectual Chocolate interview with Dr. Boyce Watkins

https://www.facebook.com/KyStateU/videos/vb.682850765132500/1269878156429

755/?type=2&theater

Champion of Change Channel 18 news Lexington KY

https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2019/10/02/hemp-roots--the-

history-of-hemp-in-kentucky

Hemp Roots: The History of Hemp in Kentucky

FARMER BROWN THA MC VIDEOS

Farmer Brown Tha MC "Class Room Visitor” (Pilot Episode 1) 8 mins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYHDMmwOEnA&t=9s

Science of Survival ($.o.$.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ-OjgRs9w4

Grow Harder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR839BTl4Pw&t=8s

Nutrition Game Proper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbjfaSWeOR8&t=1s

Chicken Leg Shuffle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhu_xJ2XOFc

MUSIC

EDUCATIONAL HIP –HOP ALBUMS

LITERATURE:

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Market:

High demand for online education in the U.S. is expected to propel the growth of education market in the country.

The low population of children under the age group of 3–6 limits the growth of the pre-k segment by end-user.

Legal and regulatory issues in the U.S. education industry may restraint the market growth in the country.

On-premises solutions dominate the type segment of the U.S. education market.

The cloud-based solutions for education provide advantages over on-premises solution such as lower start-up cost, improved accessibility, faster deployment, and enhanced

data security thus will have a high growth rate in the forecast period.

The video-based content in the U.S. education industry is estimated to account for the highest CAGR of 5.1% from 2018 to 2026. It is anticipated that video-based content

will be increasingly adopted as it facilitates faster thinking, improves problem-solving skills, and also reduces training cost and time.

By smart learning mode, it is anticipated that virtual instructor-led training will witness the highest CAGR of 5% during the forecast period in the U.S. education market.

The enhanced features provided by the interactive displays led to its major adoption in the U.S. education market. In 2017, this segment contributed around 45% market

share.

By component, the service segment will witness the highest CAGR of more than 4.5% in the forecast period.

Learning Content Management System (LCMS) is the leading software in the U.S. education market.

The growing enrollments in the school and the increased focus on quality learning are propelling the growth of the K-12 segment.

Growing demand for smart education can be accredited to factors such as increased demand among instructors and learners for improving quality of education, reducing

expenses of online training, curbing geographic challenges in physically attending classes, and time constraints faced by aspirants

Increasing penetration of Internet of Things (IoT), enhanced Internet accessibility, and rapid adoption of mobile technology have encouraged users to adopt smart education

solutions

Innovative techniques such as gamification, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), microlearning, and adaptive learning, which improve the overall learning process, are

expected to drive the smart education and learning market over the projected period

North America accounted for the largest market share in 2017 owing to its large consumer base

Some of the key industry participants in the market are Adobe Systems Incorporated (U.S.); Blackboard, Inc. (U.S.); Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.); Educomp Solutions Ltd. (India);

and McGraw-Hill Education (U.S.).

Cited Sources:

1. "Employed Persons by Detailed Industry, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. January 18, 2019. https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm.

2. Foodsystems. "Implementing Equity in Our Food Systems Work: Considerations for Cooperative Extension." Community, Local & Regional Food Systems. https://foodsystems.extension.org/2019/03/implementing-

equity-in-our-food-systems-work-considerations-for-cooperative-extension/.

3. "Gender and Racial Disparities in a Youth Urban Agriculture Workshop." The Journal of Extension (JOE). https://www.joe.org/joe/2018august/a3.php.

4. "Impact of Music, Music Lyrics, and Music Videos on Children and Youth." Pediatrics 124, no. 5 (2009): 1488-494. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-2145.

5. Johnson, Katherine A., Thomas W. Broyles, and Marie S. Hammond. "Career Intervention Effects on Agricultural Students' Career Development at an 1890 Land-Grant Institution." Home.

https://nactateachers.org/index.php/volume-62-number-2-june-2018/2733-career-intervention-effects-on-agricultural-students-career-development-at-an-1890-land-grant-institution.

6. "Kentucky Commission on Human Rights." Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. Accessed June 10, 2019. https://kchr.ky.gov/.

7. Mastro, Dana. "Race and Ethnicity in US Media Content and Effects." Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication, 2017. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.122.

8. Media, Council On Communications And. "Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents." Pediatrics. November 01, 2016. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/5/e20162592.

9. "Media Portrayals and Black Male Outcomes." The Opportunity Agenda. http://www.opportunityagenda.org/explore/resources-publications/media-representations-impact-black-men/media-portrayals.

10. Payne, Ogden. "3 Areas Of Society Hip-Hop Culture Will Dominate By 2020." Forbes. May 24, 2018. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ogdenpayne/2018/05/24/3-areas-of-society-hip-hop-culture-will-dominate-by-2020/.

11. "Publishing Statistics on Children's Books about People of Color and First/Native Nations and by People of Color and First/Native Nations Authors and Illustrators." Children's Books by and About People of Color.

https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/pcstats.asp.

12. Punyanunt-Carter, Narissra M. "The Perceived Realism of African American Portrayals on Television." Howard Journal of Communications 19, no. 3 (2008): 241-57. doi:10.1080/10646170802218263.

13. "RELEASE: Systematic Racism at the USDA Has Virtually Eliminated Black Farmers." Center for American Progress. Accessed June 10, 2019. https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release/2019/04/03/468211/release-

systematic-racism-usda-virtually-eliminated-black-farmers/.

14. Tukachinsky, Riva. "Media Portrayals and Effects: African Americans - Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication." Oxford Research Encyclopedias. May 15, 2019.

https://oxfordre.com/communication/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-453.

15. Yolanda, Linda, Reid Chassiakos, Jenny Radesky, Dimitri Christakis, Megan A. Moreno, and Corinn Cross. "Children and Adolescents and Digital Media." Pediatrics. November 01, 2016.

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/5/e20162593.