“Go Through to Get To”
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels’ Inspiring Visit to Collegiate Edu-Nation
By Tiffany C. Taylor, Partner and Chief People & Impact Officer, GSV Ventures; and Julia Hieser, Vice President of Content & Community, ASU+GSV Summit
For 14 years, thousands of industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and educators have gathered at the ASU+GSV Summit in the name of changing the world for good. The Summit convenes, connects, and celebrates those who share our mission to create a world in which ALL people have equal access to the future through scaled education and skill-building innovations across the Pre-K to Gray landscape.
The Summit draws a wonderfully diverse community of changemaking individuals, including the one and only Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. For the past three years, we’ve been incredibly grateful to partner with the legendary hip-hop artist, author, and activist, and this year was extra special.
Most know Darryl as a pioneer of hip-hop and part of the groundbreaking RUN DMC — but even after transforming hip-hop (for the last 40 of its 50 years!) and music as we know it, he’s continued to shape the world in incredibly profound ways. Darryl is a fierce advocate for education, notably harnessing his rap and rhyme skills to teach children new vocabulary on his animated series What’s the Word? on Noggin, a Nick Jr. network. He’s also a passionate philanthropic leader in student mental health, serving as the mental health advisor to UWill, a leading mental health and wellness solution for students.
At the 2023 ASU+GSV Summit, Darryl emceed our Education Innovation Showcase, presented by ClassIn, which celebrates the innovation and impact of K-12 education systems leaders. The grand prize included $20,000 cash, a design sprint from Transcend Education, and a school visit from Darryl himself. This year’s winner was Collegiate Edu-Nation, who work to cultivate a growing network of high-performing rural school districts through reinvigorated education.
And so, on November 28th, Darryl and his team visited Lytle Independent School District on behalf of Collegiate Edu-Nation for a morning of inspiration, education, and a whole lot of fun.
Darryl left these students with more than just an armful of autographs. He shared his amazing story with students from elementary to middle to high school, meeting them where they were and really connecting with the kids, even taking time to read from his children’s book Darryl’s Dream. He spoke to the students about recognizing their own brilliance and embracing their own destinies. He inspired them with his words and his rap — notably reiterating the refrain that “you have to go through to get to,” meaning there are obstacles and doors you have to “go through” to “get to” where you’re meant to be.
After the visit, Assistant Superintendent Dustin Breithaupt, Ed.D. shared, “I personally saw several students who were incredibly moved by his presentation, and it’s exciting to think about how his visit could literally change the trajectories of their lives!”
There are certainly no shortage of challenges to “go through to get to” where students need to be, and we’re immeasurably honored to uplift innovators and advocates — like Collegiate Edu-Nation and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels — who roll up their sleeves and make this world a better place to learn and live.
Are you driving meaningful change in your K-12 education system? Submit your application to the 2024 Education Innovation Showcase by December 22nd!
Tiffany C. Taylor is a Partner and Chief People & Impact Officer at GSV Ventures, a multi-stage venture capital fund investing in digital education and workforce skilling. She started her career as a classroom teacher, has 20 years of experience in the education, non-profit, and public sector, and most recently served as a national vice president supporting Teach For America’s 51 regions across the country. Tiffany serves as a director on the AI Education Project board, a non-profit that creates equitable AI literacy learning experiences and board chair of the KIPP Michigan region. Tiffany also serves as a board observer for Tutored By Teachers, a public benefit company that seeks to close the opportunity gap and advance equity in education by supporting high-needs students.
Julia Hieser is the Vice President of Content and Community at ASU+GSV Summit, an annual event connecting leading minds around digital learning and workforce skills to ensure a new era in which ALL people have equal access to the future. She started her career as a classroom teacher and has over 15 years experience in education and non-profits, most recently at Teach For America.
