10 Years of Hoodstock: A Social Forum Always Reinvented

The Hoodstock Festival was created in 2009 to mark the first anniversary of Fredy Villanueva’s death and to support the family of the deceased. Today, it celebrates its tenth anniversary and continues to defend the rights of racialized and marginalized people with programming focused on health care rights and alternative and restorative justice.

Hoodstock co-founder Nargess Mustapha calls her festival a rare democratic space where we “address issues that are sometimes hot” and tend to go under the radar.

She mentions the racial profiling of young black men, discrimination in hiring, poverty and social exclusion.

This social forum, where discussions and conferences are held, is the heart of the festival.