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20 events found.

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  • September 2022

  • Sat 10
    September 10, 2022 @ 6:00 pm - 11:30 pm

    National Hellenic Museum Gala

    • Food and Drink
    • Member Events
    • Talks and Gatherings
    Hilton Chicago 720 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

    Join Us for an evening of fine dining, music, dancing and a spectacular auction to benefit the National Hellenic Museum Saturday, September 10, 2022 Hilton Chicago 720 South Michigan Ave […]

    $375
  • Sun 11
    September 11, 2022 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community

    • Food and Drink
    • Member Events
    • Music, Film, and Theater
    Dawes Park 1700 N Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, United States

    Join the Haitian American Museum of Chicago (HAMOC) and Crossing Borders Music for the one-day outdoor exhibition We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community. This community exhibition highlights the excellence […]

  • Thu 15
    September 15, 2022 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

    Livewire: Open Mic at NIAM

    • Talks and Gatherings
    National Indo-American Museum 815 S Main St, Lombard, IL, United States

    Livewire is your Open Mic platform to jam, tell us a story, act your heart out, enthrall with a verse, drop the mic... You bring the talent we’ll bring the cheers! […]

    $5
  • Thu 15
    September 15, 2022 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Bilingual Skyline Yoga on the Terrace

    Bilingual Skyline Yoga on the Terrace

    • Member Events
    • Workshops and Classes
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    All levels - BEGINNERS WELCOME! DANK Haus 6th Floor, Terrace General Public: $5 | Friends of DANK: Free Enjoy gentle Yoga classes on the 6th floor skyline terrace at DANK-Haus. […]

    $5
  • Thu 15
    September 15, 2022 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

    NHM Virtual Book Club – Cloud Cuckoo Land

    • Member Events
    • Online Events
    • Talks and Gatherings
    Online IL, United States

    Join the National Hellenic Museum’s Virtual Book Club! In September, we will be discussing Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-Winning author of All the Light We Cannot See. Book Club is free to join and […]

    Free
  • Fri 16
    September 16, 2022 - December 30, 2022

    RESILIENCE – Photography Exhibit

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    • Member Events
    National Hellenic Museum 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us for the grand reopening of the National Hellenic Museum this fall with the world premiere of a major photography exhibition Resilience By HRH Prince Nikolaos September 16 – […]

    $10
  • Fri 16
    September 16, 2022 - April 30, 2023

    Gather Together: Chicago Street Photography by Diane Alexander White

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    National Hellenic Museum 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States

    In this new exhibition, the Chicago-based Greek American photographer presents 80 historic works showcasing Chicago’s Greek American celebrations alongside other ethnic and cultural festivals and parades, primarily from the 1970s […]

    $10
  • Fri 16
    September 16, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Opening Weekend: RESILIENCE – Photography Exhibit

    Opening Weekend: RESILIENCE – Photography Exhibit

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    • Member Events
    National Hellenic Museum 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us for the grand reopening of the National Hellenic Museum this fall with the world premiere of a major photography exhibition Resilience By HRH Prince Nikolaos September 16 – […]

    $10
  • Fri 16
    September 16, 2022 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm BOMBA Lab en el Centro

    BOMBA Lab en el Centro

    • Dance
    • Workshops and Classes
    Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center 4046 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    BOMBA is the oldest musical tradition of Puerto Rico and one of the greatest expressions of the Island’s African ancestry. Since its establishment in Chicago in the late 1980's and […]

    FREE
  • Sat 17
    September 17, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Opening Weekend: RESILIENCE – Photography Exhibit

    Opening Weekend: RESILIENCE – Photography Exhibit

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    • Member Events
    National Hellenic Museum 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us for the grand reopening of the National Hellenic Museum this fall with the world premiere of a major photography exhibition Resilience By HRH Prince Nikolaos September 16 – […]

    $10
  • Sat 17
    September 17, 2022 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

    The Gesture Itself Is Protection Spell

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    South Side Community Art Center 3831 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Performative activations from current exhibiting artists R. Treshawn Williamson & Lola Ayisha Ogbara, with special guest artist Jada-Amina. About this event Borrowed from Lola Ayisha Ogbara’s video work 'Bound For […]

    Free
  • Sat 17
    September 17, 2022 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    Kalnas Ensemble Concert

    • Member Events
    • Music, Film, and Theater
    Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture 6500 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL, United States

    Balzekas Museum welcomes the Kalnas Ensemble string quartet featuring original compositions inspired by ancient Lithuanian folk music On Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture welcomes the […]

    $15 – $45
  • Sat 17
    September 17, 2022 @ 6:30 pm Baila Conmigo!

    Baila Conmigo!

    • Member Events
    • Music, Film, and Theater
    Puerto Rican Arts Alliance 3000 N Elbridge Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

    Baila Conmigo, supporting local music artists while bringing artistic excellence and enjoyment to our community! This outdoor event is held at the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance Terraza and FREE to […]

    FREE
  • Sat 17
    September 17, 2022 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    La Jara: Salsa Dance & Fundraiser for SRBCC

    • Dance
    • Music, Film, and Theater
    Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center 4046 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    NYC's La Jara comes to Chicago to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and raise funds for SRBCC's youth programs. About this event La Jara is the official band of the NYPD […]

    $25
  • Sun 18
    September 18, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Opening Weekend: RESILIENCE – Photography Exhibit

    Opening Weekend: RESILIENCE – Photography Exhibit

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    • Member Events
    National Hellenic Museum 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us for the grand reopening of the National Hellenic Museum this fall with the world premiere of a major photography exhibition Resilience By HRH Prince Nikolaos September 16 – […]

    $10
  • Sun 18
    September 18, 2022 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

    ARTIVISM 101: A workshop on creating art to change the world

    • Workshops and Classes
    American Writers Museum 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith hosts a Kids & Family Workshop on creating art that aligns with and highlights activism. About this event Nikkolas Smith, Artivist and #1 New York Times Bestselling illustrator, […]

    Free – $10
  • Mon 19
    September 19, 2022 @ 11:45 am - 1:00 pm

    Peace Day Chicago

    • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
    Daley Plaza 50 W. Washington St, Chicago, IL, United States

    Peace Day brings together communities and cultures as a vital step towards building peace in Chicago and the world. The interactive World Peace Flag Ceremony accompanied by world music gives […]

    FREE
  • Mon 19
    September 19, 2022 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

    Concert: Bridge Between Nations

    • Music, Film, and Theater
    Nichols Concert Hall 1490 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL, United States

    Concert featuring Martin Vydra (Czech Republic) and Ricardo Itaborahy (Brazil). Concert guest violinist Klára Moldová. Voluntary admission. Event duration 60 minutes. Czech Nepomuk (birthplace of St. John of Nepomuk) and […]

    FREE
  • Tue 20
    September 20, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Exhibition Opening: Nostalgia for My Island

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture 3015 W Division Street, Chicago, IL, United States

    Nostalgia for My Island: Puerto Rican Paintings from the Museo de Arte de Ponce. The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture is excited to partner with the world-renowned […]

  • Tue 20
    September 20, 2022 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    Swedish Cooking Class Online – Pytt-i-panna and Bondomelett

    • Online Events
    • Workshops and Classes
    Online Event

    Join us for another cooking class series. In September we will be making Pytt-i-panna and Bondomelett. Two dishes to cook when you have a little bit of everything in your […]

    $10 – $15
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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.