CHICAGO CREATIVE LEADERS GATHER FOR A ROUNDTABLE ON YOUTH, ARTS, EDUCATION, & SOCIAL JUSTICE

Marwen’s first-ever virtual roundtable event, Forever Changed, spotlights leaders from IIT Institute of Design, Gensler, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ragdale

Register at https://rebrand.ly/foreverchanged

On Thursday, July 22, Marwen is bringing together some of Chicago's creative and critical voices to discuss and better understand the intersections of youth, arts, education, and social justice and their impact on our work to support the creative brilliance of young people and the power of art. Forever Changed, a free and virtual event, is an opportunity to hear unique perspectives around our shared changing world, plus a poem from renowned Chicago author, activist, and Marwen parent Leslé Honoré.

The virtual roundtable takes place on Thursday, July 22, 2021 from NOON - 1 PM. Guests register online at https://rebrand.ly/foreverchanged. Immediately following the roundtable, guests are invited to attend a 30-minute intimate breakout session. The session, which is accessible through a $25 donation upon registering, provides an opportunity for guests to more deeply engage with speakers and Marwen Teaching Artists. Event proceeds directly support Marwen’s work to create a community of flourishing artists, imaginative thinkers, leaders, and thriving young adults across Chicago and beyond.

Meet the Speakers

Chris Rudd

Clinical Professor of Practice IIT and Founder of ChiByDesign

Youth Development and Social Justice

Chris Rudd is a designer, community organizer, and founder of ChiByDesign, a Black-owned and people-of-color-led design firm in Chicago. He has a deep background in social equity work, systems change, and youth development. Chris is also a Clinical Professor of Practice and Lead of Community-led Design for the Chicago Design Lab at the Illinois Institute of Technology Institute of Design (ID) where his work focuses on developing the co-design practice at ID and the anti-racist design field. Chris is a former Stanford Institute of Design (d.school) Civic Innovation fellow and a current Chicago Urban League IMPACT fellow.

Heidi Davis

Regional HR Director at Gensler

Design and Anti-Racism

Heidi Davis is a progressive HR leader advising C-suite executives and organizations how best to evolve its talent, DEI, and business functions to achieve optimal effectiveness. A focused-leader, Heidi uses a people-first approach to enhance the culture and overall experience.

Jennifer Husbands

Senior Program Officer at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Education and Equity

Jennifer L. Husbands, Ph.D. manages the Community of Practice for the Networks for School Improvement at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Throughout her career, her focus has been on adult learning, including roles such as Executive Director of Schools That Can Chicago, Director of the AUSL Institute; and Director of School Incubation at Chicago Public Schools. She also led the nation’s first charter school-based, state-approved teacher certification program at High Tech High, a network of high-performing, project-based learning-focused charter schools in San Diego. She earned her Ph.D. from Stanford University's School of Education.

Regin Igloria

Artist, Educator, Marwen Trustee

Artistic Practice and Activism

Regin Igloria is a multidisciplinary artist and educator based in Chicago. His drawings, artists’ books, sculptures, and performances portray the human condition as it relates to the natural environment and inhabited spaces. He founded North Branch Projects, an organization that builds connections through the book arts. His work with the community creates crossover between disparate populations and cultures, aiming to redefine roles of artists and those who may or may not be in their proximity. Regin has taught at Marwen, RISD, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Snow City Arts, and Carthage College. He received a 3Arts Individual Artist Award as well as local, national, and international grants, support through artist residencies, and has exhibited internationally.

Leslé Honoré

Artist, Author, Activist, Marwen Parent

Special Reading

Leslé is a Blaxican Poet, artivist, and author. In her poetry and life she works to empower youth to find their voices through the arts and inspire people to stand in the gaps that social, economic, and racial inequities create. Leslé was a featured speaker at the inaugural Tedx Grand Boulevard in 2020 and has spoken and read her work at Obama Foundation convenings and events, the 2020 Watermark Innovation Conference, Elevated Chicago Symposium, Latino Progresando’s 2020 MEXtalks, and many more. Born and raised in Gardena, California, she lives in Chicago with her three phenomenal children: Sage, Solomon, and Scarlett. Her forthcoming book, Letters and Lagniappe, will be released in 2021.

Event Photography + Recording

Photography and video are welcome during the event. Please arrange in advance as our capacity is limited in the building and the safety of our community is top priority. Contact Kennon Reinard at kreinard@marwen.org or 312.282.4133 (mobile) to coordinate.

Event Sponsors

Allstate, Steve and Karen Berkowitz, Power Construction, Gensler, GCM Grosvenor, Leo Burnett, Amy and Andy Bluhm, Marcy and Greg Carlin, Chris Paloian Fixler and Jon Fixler, Bob and Kim Gallo, Isa and Adam Pressman, James & Mary Hill III, Deborah and Stephen Quazzo, Denis Weil, IIT Institute of Design, Lois and Steve Eisen, Katherine Scott Jimenez and James Jimenez, Nils and Stacey Larsen, Lee and Sharon Oberlander, Sally Pofcher, Dan and Julie Wheeler

In-Kind Support

DDB, Revel

ABOUT MARWEN

For 34 years, Marwen has remained committed to educating and inspiring young people to nurture their growth and build their futures through art and community. Programs are designed to create free opportunities to foster artistic and life skills through visual arts programming. Prior to the onset of COVID-19, Marwen supported more than 1,000 young people a year. Current programs offer young people opportunities to build artistic skills, exploration of the cultural and social context of art forms, reflection and community building through both studio and pathway programs. Programs utilize a creative youth development approach that centers the voices of young people and provides a brave space where they can express and advocate for themselves. https://marwen.org/

MARWEN RECIPIENT OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA) CARES ACT FUNDING

The 33-year-old creative youth development organization was one of 855 organizations nationwide and one of 12 in Chicago to receive funds. 

(Chicago, IL – August 10, 2020) The National Endowment for the Arts announced the recipients  for direct funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Marwen was one of 855 organizations nationwide to receive a portion of $44.5 million to support staff salaries, fees for artists or contractual personnel, and facilities costs. Marwen’s CARES Act funds, which total $50,000, will go directly to paying Teaching Artists and young people.

“The impact of COVID19 has reinforced the equity issues disproportionately affecting artists,” said Akilah Halley, Marwen’s Executive Director and alumna. “As artists search for resources to sustain themselves and their communities during this time of extreme uncertainty, we are reminded of the securities afforded to some but not all. How can we support our local artists that so often find themselves in positions of hardship?”

“Given the role that community-based artists hold as change agents and conveners in our communities, Marwen is investing in our community of teaching artists, while continuing to provide high quality arts programming to young people across the city,” added Alexandra Field, Marwen’s Director of Development. “While our building may be closed and social distancing guidelines continue to deter our previously planned programming, Marwen is building a portfolio of responsive and adaptive artistic engagement opportunities.”

In keeping with the tenets of Creative Youth Development, Marwen’s summer virtual programs were co-created by a cohort of seven Teaching Artists and young people, in collaboration with staff. Partnering with young people to co-design and experiment on our digital engagement through a community-based approach will lead to programs that deliver meaningful impact for our students during a tumultuous time.

While the digital sphere is new to Marwen, we are committed to providing artistic opportunities that create financial sustainability for our community of Teaching Artists and continual artistic engagement for our young people.

About the CARES Act

Grants of $50,000 were offered to 846 organizations while nine local arts agencies will receive $250,000 each to further award to arts organizations in their area. The National Endowment for the Arts received more than 3,100 eligible applications requesting $157 million for the $45 million available in direct assistance. 

“All of us at the National Endowment for the Arts are keenly aware that arts organizations across the country are hurting, struggling, and trying to survive and that our supply of funding does not come close to meeting the demand for assistance,” said Arts Endowment Chairman Mary Anne Carter. “That said, I am enormously proud of the over-and-above efforts of the Arts Endowment staff to swiftly and professionally manage such a large amount of additional work in a relatively short period of time on behalf of the American public.” 

These awardees represent the diverse nature of arts organizations around the country. Overall funding is divided nearly evenly between small, medium, and large arts organizations. Arts and culture are a key component of the U.S. economy that contribute $877.8 billion, or 4.5 percent, to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2017 and employ over 5 million wage‐and‐salary workers who collectively earned $405 billion. This funding will help support those jobs and those nonprofit organizations during this time of great need so that arts and culture will persevere as a significant contributor to the American economy. See full press release here.

About Marwen

Since 1987, Marwen has educated and inspired young people from Chicago’s under-resourced communities and schools through the visual arts. Marwen provides free visual art courses, college planning, and career development programs to 6-12th graders from across the city. For more information visit marwen.org.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more.

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