Geography is often associated with mapmakers who pull their data from ground-level surveys or satellites. Valuable geographic thought and data can also be gathered from 90s rap music, angry letters written to elected officials, and oral histories. The instructor of this course will present on how she employs these latter methods to research histories of race and rebellion in South Central Los Angeles, a place described by Ice Cube (1991) as “concrete Vietnam.” This course exposes students to unorthodox methods in geography, hopefully providing more tools for them to analyze the communities, histories, and places they interact with. From the jump, students will be encouraged to participate by being real, bringing their own knowledge, critically reflecting on land, place, and contemporary issues. ‘Being real’ is synonymous with ‘telling like it is’ and ‘laying down the facts’ in the manner and style that one is most comfortable with– this might include everything from sharing a story with classmates to challenging the instructor on her claims. The first half of the course will consist of a lecture, discussion, and activity held indoors. The second half of the course will consist of light outdoors exploration in the vicinity of the original classroom. Fidget toys, snacks, and participatory activities will ease the burden of getting through a two hour course. Students of all abilities, backgrounds, interests, and knowledge levels are welcome!