SocialWorks celebrated Sydney’s inaugural South by South West with talks from SocialWorks leadership, Chance The Rapper & Essence Smith. The 5-day trip immersed the SocialWorks team in Australia’s and the South Pacific’s indie music scene, Sydney’s Aboriginal culture, and Hip-Hop’s global force for liberation. And to our friends Down Under – the SocialWorks team is profoundly grateful for your support and collaboration. SXSW’s partnership has opened doors, the Aboriginals of New South Wales have enriched our work with their cultural wisdom, and the people of Sydney welcomed us with open hearts.

Chance the Rapper Opens Up About Faith, Creativity, and Social Impact in SXSW Sydney Keynote

Chance the Rapper gave a candid and insightful keynote address at SXSW Sydney this week, discussing his early career, his charity SocialWorks, and his thoughts on creativity. He also talked about his faith and his understanding of God.

One of the key takeaways from Chance’s speech was his emphasis on the importance of using creativity to make a positive impact on the world. He said, “I believe my purpose in life is to allow God to speak through me; to be a vessel for love, liberty, and understanding. And I try and work against my flesh every day to take that opportunity and not to waste it.”

Chance also spoke about the importance of being independent and authentic as an artist. He said, “I’ve been offered a lot of money to do things that I didn’t believe in, and I’ve turned it down. It’s important to me to stay true to myself and my values.”

Highlights from Chance’s speech:

• On creativity: “Creativity is a gift from God. It’s a way to express yourself and connect with others. I believe that everyone has a creative spark inside of them, and it’s important to nurture it.”
• On social impact: “I want to use my platform to make the world a better place. That’s why I started SocialWorks, my charity foundation. We’re working to improve education and reduce poverty in Chicago.”
• On faith: “I’m a Christian, and my faith is very important to me. I believe that God is a God for the oppressed. His will is that we be free and are allowed to be ourselves, and come into the kingdom that he presented to us.”

Chance the Rapper is a Grammy Award-winning artist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He is known for his innovative music, his commitment to social justice, and his positive message of hope.

Check out the articles below to learn more about SXSW Sydney!

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