This site uses cookies for analytics and to improve your experience. By clicking Accept, you consent to our use of cookies.

"Chicago Cultural Alliance" logo
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • COALITION STATEMENT
    • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
    • CCA Blog
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • OUR TEAM
    • OPPORTUNITIES
    • Privacy Policy
  • OUR MEMBERS
    • ABOUT OUR MEMBERS
    • CORE MEMBERS
    • PARTNER MEMBERS
    • JOIN THE ALLIANCE
  • HOLIDAY GUIDE
  • MEETING THE MOMENT
  • ACTIVATING HERITAGE 2026
  • PROGRAMS
    • ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS
    • ACTIVATING HERITAGE 2026
    • JOURNEY CHICAGO
    • ARCHIVES CRAWL
    • WORLD DUMPLING FEST (2024)
    • MOSAIC 2025 Gala
  • CALENDAR
  • MEMBERWIRE LOG-IN
  • DONATE
20 events found.

Talks and Gatherings

  1. Events
  2. Talks and Gatherings

Events Search and Views Navigation

Event Views Navigation

  • List
  • Month
  • Week
Today
  • June 2024

  • Sun 23
    June 21, 2024 - June 28, 2024

    “Creative Reflections”: Chicago Native Community Pop-Up Art Exhibition

    • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    • Talks and Gatherings
    American Indian Center 3401 West Ainslie Street, Chicago, IL, United States
  • Wed 26
    June 26, 2024 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

    What You Didn’t Learn on the Boat Tour

    • Talks and Gatherings
    Online Event

    Although our docents go into great depth covering the history of over 50 buildings on the CAC’s renowned River Cruise, that ninety-minute tour is still not enough time to share […]

    $15
  • July 2024

  • Fri 19
    July 19, 2024 @ 7:30 pm - July 20, 2024 @ 12:00 am Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    • Food and Drink
    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink! Theme […]

  • Thu 25
    July 25, 2024 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    Thursday Night Music Sessions

    • Food and Drink
    • Music, Film, and Theater
    • Talks and Gatherings

    Date: July 25 Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Location: 4626 N Knox Ave. Chicago,IL 60630 Join session leaders Michael Austin and James Conway this Thursday for an unforgettable evening of Irish […]

  • Wed 31
    July 31, 2024 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

    The Stories of Ogden Avenue

    • Talks and Gatherings
    Virtual Chicago, IL, United States

    Travel down Ogden Avenue, named for Chicago’s first mayor, visiting historic neighborhoods, parks and landmark buildings. This talk will highlight Chicago’s early industrial days, the Civil Rights Movement in the […]

    $15
  • August 2024

  • Fri 2
    August 2, 2024 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

    Rewilding Chicago’s Waterways

    • Sporting Events
    • Talks and Gatherings
    • Tour
    Wild Mile 905 W Eastman St, Chicago

    The Wild Mile is one-of-a-kind: a floating eco-park in the heart of the city. Visit this steadily growing wonder on the North Branch of the Chicago River for a conversation, […]

    Free
  • Fri 16
    August 16, 2024 @ 7:30 pm - August 17, 2024 @ 12:00 am Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    • Food and Drink
    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink! Theme […]

  • September 2024

  • Sat 14
    September 14, 2024 @ 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

    New Book Presentation and Discussion on the Origins of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable

    • Talks and Gatherings

    In this book discussion, Dr. Rafael Pérez Guerra presents a series of historical documents long accepted as traditional and true until the mid-twentieth century, when several American and Chicago historians […]

  • Fri 20
    September 20, 2024 @ 7:30 pm - September 21, 2024 @ 12:00 am Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    • Food and Drink
    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink! Theme […]

  • October 2024

  • Thu 3
    October 3, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    History Course: The Germanen At the Crossroads of Antiquity

    • Talks and Gatherings

    Date: Start Thursday, October 03, 2024 Time: Location: Location DANK Haus: 2nd Floor, Brauhaus Room The Germanen: At the Crossroads of Antiquity History Course presented by Mike Haas Begins October […]

  • Fri 18
    October 18, 2024 @ 7:30 pm - October 19, 2024 @ 12:00 am Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    • Food and Drink
    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink! Theme […]

  • Fri 25
    October 25, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

    2024 Breakin’ It Down Conference: Rooted in Purpose

    • Talks and Gatherings
    Malcolm X College 1900 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago

    Since 2003, Breakin’ It Down (BID), a fiscal sponsorship project of Mujeres Latinas en Accion, has striven to advance racial equity in the field of nonprofit, philanthropy, and fundraising, The […]

    $30. – $60.
  • Sun 27
    October 27, 2024 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

    Meetup with Easy German

    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us for a fun and engaging Meetup with Easy German! Whether you are a German Language Learner, a German, or just simply interested in the German language and culture, […]

    $10 – $15
  • November 2024

  • Fri 1
    November 1, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    Classic German Cooking by Luisa Weiss: Cooking Demonstration & Book Launch

    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us for a special culinary evening celebrating the launch of Classic German Cooking by acclaimed food writer Luisa Weiss, author of Classic German Baking and My Berlin Kitchen.  On Friday, Nov 1, Luisa Weiss will […]

    $35 – $40
  • Fri 15
    November 15, 2024 @ 7:30 pm - November 16, 2024 @ 12:00 am Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    • Food and Drink
    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink! Theme […]

  • Fri 29
    November 29, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    Dark Night of the Soul by Daniel Hryhorczuk

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    • Talks and Gatherings
    2249 West Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60612 2249 West Superior Street, Chicago, IL, United States

    Author Daniel Hryhorczuk will present his new novel, The "Dark Night of the Soul," about a Ukrainian writer who embarks on a spiritual journey to reconcile with his Russian daughter […]

    Free
  • December 2024

  • Tue 10
    December 10, 2024 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

    Photographing the Salt Shed: The Intersection of Art and Labor

    • Talks and Gatherings
    Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

    Originally constructed in 1929, the Morton Salt Company Warehouse Complex is a familiar and beloved Chicago Landmark along Elston Avenue near Goose Island. For decades, its enormous hand-painted sign has […]

    Free
  • Sun 15
    December 15, 2024 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    Building the Table (Pt. 4): Celebrating Culture in Policy, Advocacy, and Social Justice

    • Talks and Gatherings
    Nobody's Darling 1744 West Balmoral Avenue, Chicago, I, United States

    "Building the Table" is an in-person extension of ‘The Table On Air’ talk show, designed to culturally explore intersectional identities and highlight the dynamic lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ community members. […]

    Free
  • Fri 20
    December 20, 2024 @ 7:30 pm - December 21, 2024 @ 12:00 am Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    • Food and Drink
    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink! Theme […]

  • January 2025

  • Fri 17
    January 17 @ 7:30 pm - January 18 @ 12:00 am Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

    • Food and Drink
    • Talks and Gatherings
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink! Theme […]

  • Previous Events
  • Today
  • Next Events
  • Google Calendar
  • iCalendar
  • Outlook 365
  • Outlook Live
  • Export .ics file
  • Export Outlook .ics file
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

600 W. Jackson Blvd, Suite 100 | Chicago, IL 60661 | 312-846-6814
501(c)3 | © 2025 Chicago Cultural Alliance | Website by David Carling – FutureNotion

J. Gibran Villalobos

Board Member

J. Gibran Villalobos is an arts administrator, educator, and cultural worker. He has served as Senior Program Officer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as the Interim Executive Director of the Chicago Artists Coalition, and faculty lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Previously, he has held posts as Assistant Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Partnerships and Community Engagement Manager for the Chicago Architecture Biennial, Cultural Liaison for the Chicago Park District, and Curator-in-Residence for the Chicago Cultural Center. In 2016 he attended the Advocacy Leadership Institute and was invited to the White House Office of Public Engagement, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to speak to issues affecting Latinos in Chicago. In 2017 he launched an inaugural summit of Latinx artists and administrators across the U.S; for this project he was awarded the Act Up Award by the Chicago Community Trust. His work has been presented at the Fabrica de Arte Cubano during the 2017 Havana Biennial. In 2019 he was an inaugural recipient of the Field Foundation’s Leaders for a New Chicago Award as well as the Americans for the Arts 2019 Leaders of Color Fellowship. In 2020, he joined the Civic Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy where he worked with government and nonprofit sector participants to think about effective policy for Chicago’s cultural industries. He helped establish the Auxiliary Board at the National Museum of Mexican Art. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the Department of Arts Administration & Policy.

Gibran holds a BA in Art History and a BS in Public Relations from Northern Arizona University and an MA in Arts Administration & Policy and MA in Modern Art History & Theory from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

He has contributed to exhibitions such as Direct Message, presenting the artwork of Chicago artistic collectives and their relation to language and civic engagement. As part of an international project, he has convened the MCA Chicago with the Tate Modern, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Queens Museum and other institutions to create dialogue on civic engagement within contemporary art institutions. He has written catalog entries for Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Rodrigo Lara Zendejas, and Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford. In 2021, he is contributing to the upcoming retrospective on the work by artist Andrea Bowers focusing on the activism and archives of Emma Lozano. He is curator of the symposium Fractures: Creating Around Devastation focusing on water ecology, civic engagement, activism, and architecture.

Loreal Robertson

Board Member

Loreal Robertson is a native Chicagoan who recently returned home in 2021 where she began working at the University of Chicago. In her role she oversees and monitors a range of programs, services, and resources to support the retention, wellness, belonging, and success of graduate students. Additionally, her role includes informing strategic priorities, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, professional development, student advancement and the support of students who may be experiencing financial academic, or personal challenges, including students with disabilities and international students.

Loreal has over 10 years of experience in higher education and student affairs. In 2021 she received the Inclusion and Diversity Champion Award from Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), where she was previously employed. Loreal’s personal and professional philosophy is creating and promoting spaces and opportunities where everyone can see themselves as part of an experience and feels represented.

Loreal holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Arkansas, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from TAMUK.

Loreal is a financial and active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, an avid reader, and enjoys traveling with family and friends.

Warren Frank

Treasurer

Warren Frank is a retired CPA and CFO, and current Adjunct Professor at Columbia College.

Warren worked at such CPA firms as KPMG, PwC, and Deloitte, and Not For Profit organizations as National Association of Realtors, Chicago Associations of Realtors, Anixter Center, and Chinese American Service League.

Warren is a Chicago resident in the Lakeview neighborhood. He attended Loyola University of Chicago for his bachelor degree and Northwestern University for his master degree.

Colleen McGaughey

Board Member

Colleen McGaughey (she/her) is the director of development at the National Public Housing Museum, where she leads the strategic direction of the museum’s fundraising efforts with a focus on creative and community-centric approaches.

Mario Longoni

Board Member

Mario Longoni is a cultural anthropologist (“Lead Environmental Social Scientist”) in the Keller Science Action Center at the Field Museum. For over 20 years, he has worked with individuals and organizations to surface and activate cultural and natural assets (specific strengths and characteristics) to help communities meet the challenges they face.

Rob Fojtik

Board Member
Rob Fojtik is Vice President for Neighborhood Strategy at Choose Chicago, the city’s official tourism and convention promotion bureau. In this capacity, Rob oversees efforts to promote and support Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods to visitors from near and far. Programs include the award-winning Neighborhood Content Creator program that leverages resident-made digital content, and Chicago Alfresco, a $2.5 million placemaking initiative created in partnership with the Chicago Department of Transportation to transform public spaces into community plazas for outdoor enjoyment.

Before coming to Choose Chicago, Rob was a Senior Advisor to Mayor Lightfoot on economic development and international relations at City Hall, as well as LGTBQ+ affairs and the expanded outdoor dining program. In this role, he also worked to recommend and place over 150 civic leaders and residents onto City boards and commissions. Prior to government service in the Lightfoot administration, Rob ran her winning campaign in the crowded 2019 Chicago mayoral race as Chief of Staff. In past lives, Rob has worked as a public affairs manager for a Fortune 500 company downtown; had misadventures in management consulting, art sales, and personal cheffing; and spent time in Washington DC working for former Secretary of Defense William Cohen. Rob also served a one-year appointment at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence as a policy advisor on Central and Eastern Europe. In this role, he was part of the NSC’s interagency process to develop a comprehensive sanctions regime on Russia as a consequence of its 2014 invasion of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.

After receiving his BA in Slavic Languages and Literature at Northwestern University, Rob lived and worked in the Czech Republic teaching English and tending bar before moving to Washington, D.C. to pursue a MA from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies (CERES). He enjoys cooking, learning foreign languages, hiking with his partner and their dog, and visiting Chicago’s many neighborhoods.

Paul Durica

Board Member

Dr. Paul Durica is the Director of Exhibitions at the Chicago History Museums and worked in a similar capacity at The Newberry Library. From 2015-2020, he served as the Director of Programs and Exhibitions with Illinois Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Prior to that he drew upon his work as a writer, researcher, and teacher to produce a series of free and interactive talks, walks, and reenactments focused on narratives from Chicago’s past that resonate with its present.

These public history programs led to collaborations with cultural institutions in the city such as the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, Chicago History Museum, Newberry Library, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Chicago Cultural Center among others.

Each program made use of both his original research and the skills of the arts organizations, community groups, local businesses, and publications that acted as my partners. Some of these programs, such as the full-scale reenactment of the Haymarket Affair in 2011, involved recruiting and directing over 300 volunteers and 1,000 participants.

To produce these programs successfully, he wrote grants; managed budgets; generated web content; worked closely with program partners of varying sizes and resources; and identified, engaged, and sustained a diverse multi-generational audience.

Lynessa Rico

Board Member

Dr. Lynessa M. Rico is the Associate Chair of the Business Psychology Department at the The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Chicago campus. She is also a business mentor at 1871.

Lynessa is a results-driven Strategic Consultant with over 25 years of experience enabling leaders to meet strategic business objectives by identifying and aligning business growth opportunities with strategic direction of culturally diverse organizations. By leveraging her strategic experience in identifying and impacting business growth opportunities and maximizing profits in retail firms and higher education institutions, Lynessa leads workshops focused on the creative mindset, women’s entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, and the value and application of design thinking within entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Her services also include consulting with and educating leadership on emotional intelligence, the power of design thinking and the creative mindset, and leadership styles to support inclusive, creative workplaces. She has presented to leadership and innovation teams in small, mid-size, and Fortune 500 companies.

Lynessa received her undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Management from Wichita State University. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration from Wichita State University with a focus in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. After earning her master’s degree, Lynessa received her doctorate in Business Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where she successfully completed her dissertation titled, “The Relationship Between Personality Types and Color Preference for Color Combinations.” Her current research interests include women’s entrepreneurship, design thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurship self-efficacy.

Outside of work and research, Lynessa enjoys mentoring start-ups and judging pitch competitions. Lynessa currently resides in Chicago, Illinois with her four cats. She is an avid long-distance runner, having completed 5 full marathons (and counting), and enjoys watching musical theater.

Briana Thomas

Board Member

Briana Thomas is the Museum Associate at the Abrahamic Center for Cultural Education (a core member of the Chicago Cultural Alliance). She wears many hats including developing exhibition content, facilitating community programs (children and adults), liaising with visitor artists, and other responsibilities. Her previous experience in the nonprofit space includes her tenure as the Financial Empowerment Coordinator at AMERICORPS Sharing Life Center as well as engaging with the public at the Dallas Arboretum. Her past professional experience has remained rooted in marginalized communities. It is their needs, discourse and histories that she has routinely been tasked with protecting and showcasing in the face of poor infrastructure, and willing ignorance. Creating safe spaces is an ancestral practice she has inherited.