Dessa will add another item to her laundry list of credentials next week when she presents an evening of dialog and music at the 23rd annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum, which is intended to "inspire peacemaking" among young people. As part of her event, which is happening next Friday, March 2, at Augsburg College, Dessa will give a TED-style presentation on ethics and hip-hop, participate in an audience Q&A, and wrap things up with a mini-performance.

Her presentation, “Mic Lines: Art, Ethics, and their Contested Connections,” will touch on a variety of sociological and ethical questions facing modern hip-hop artists. Among the questions included in the release: "Do artists have any special moral responsibilities? Is it possible to write conscientious or peace-oriented lyrics without sounding hopelessly cheesy? Does asking rappers to be mindful of their content amount to censorship?"

For anyone who caught Dessa's performance and oration at the Fitzgerald Theater last fall, this should be quite the engaging and enlightening night. Tickets are available here.