According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of this January the unemployment rate for the US is 4.9%. Now, double that number and you are just shy of Newark, New Jersey’s unemployment rate. 

In order to battle the 9.6% unemployment rate, the city of Newark and Mayor Ras J. Baraka have established the iArts Media Institute, a program according to AllHipHop which aims “to educate and inspire students using celebrity instructors." Targeting young adults from 16 to 24 years old, the iArts Media Institute will offer courses in developing skills for on-stage and behind-the-scenes entertainment careers. The celebrity instructors to teach the classes include HBO's The Wire's JD Williams who will teach acting, Lords of the Underground's rapper Dupree “Do it All” Kelly will teach music songwriting and music, and Rah Digga will instruct music history, all of whom are Newark natives. Other instructors include producer Bryan Michael Cox and AllHipHop's CEO, Chuck Creekmur.

Mayor Baraka emphasized the need to combat the high unemployment rate by stating,

The City of Newark has a 350-year history of creativity, with lustrous names like Stephen Crane, Philip Roth, Sarah Vaughan, Whitney Houston, and John Amos. Today we have a vast wealth of untapped talent who will write new pages in that history, if we give them the opportunity to express their creativity and innovation. I am proud of our administration is uniting with private partners like the iArts Media Institute to break the cycles that have held our citizens back, and empower them with the tools to become the next generation of national and international stars and titans of the entertainment world.

iArts Media Institute will hold an Open House event on March 5th at 205 Spruce Street, Newark, New Jersey.

Image: AllHipHop News