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Artists & Story Keepers

These are people who came up as storytellers and necessary culture workers.

Back of the yards

Kwameana Jackson

Chef, Land Steward, & Storykeeper

Kwameana Jackson was identified as a storykeeper in the narratives workshop. Kwameana is a catholic worker at Su Casa Women's Shelter in the neighborhood and land steward + chef at the Breathing Room.

Anthony Brown

Storykeeper & Community Worker

Anthony Brown is part of the Port Ministries and has ran their bread truck initiative for many years. He was identified as a community storykeeper at one of our community narrative workshops.

VISIT

Alma Silva-Sigala

Storykeeper & Community Worker

Alma was identified as a storykeeper in both a survey and a workshop. They are part of Free Street Hood Momz and are also a core member of the Parent Mentor group in Back of the Yards. This group of parents is involved with four different schools in the neighborhood and organize various events throughout the year. || "El arte va estar siempre va estar reconocido y lo podemos ver en nuestro barrio de BoTY, los murales que están pintados alrededor de nuestras comunidades donde existen edificios en mal estado y quieren convertir una obra de arte de ahí." - Alma Silvia-Sigala || "Existe un grupo con que pertenezco Hood Moms con Free Street y yo me siento muy contenta creo que es una parte de sanacion y nos están enseñando el arte en alguna manera en representarnos. No aislarnos por no saber inglés me siento parte de, me siento incluida, me sienta representada, por mi color, me siento muy representada." - Alma Silvia-Sigala || "Y eso es arte, en toda la extensión de la palabra, el simple hecho de que yo hable y de mi testimonio de alguna manera representa bastante." - Alma Silvia-Sigala

VISIT

Angie Kolacinski

Storykeeper & Community Worker

Community stakeholder and leader of the IHM Marimba Ensemble, Angie was identified at our narratives workshop as a community storykeeper and teller.

Bruce Wellems

Storykeeper & Community Worker

Bruce Wellems is a community stakeholder and leader as part of the Peace and Education Coalition. He organizes community events and was identified by community at our workshop as a storykeeper/teller.

Henry Cervantez

Artist, Dancer, & Community Worker

Henry is a leader of Xochitl-Quetzal Danza Azteca, as well as a visual artist.

Consuelo Martinez

Storykeeper & Community Worker

Consuelo was identified in Narratives Workshop as a storykeeper and teller in the community. Consuelo is a mom, part of Parent Mentors (with Alma) and also part of Hood Momz. || "El vecindario está describido [como] “caliente” por la violencia pero lo llamó mi pueblito." - Consuelo Martinez || "All our residents every single one of them,a parents, child, father, mother, brother, sister, our aunts, our uncle, we are all storytellers, we are all cultural assets in our own sense." - Consuelo Martinez || " En Mi Comunidad hay una lluvia de colores por nuestra cultura Mexica, pero predomina nuestro color brown, por que eso somos morenitos. ll In my community there is a rainfall of colors from our Mexican culture. But the predominant one is our color BROWN because we are brown.- Consuelo Martinez

Bertha Flores-Ramirez

Storykeeper & Community Worker

Bertha was identified is both a survey and workshop as an important neighborhood storyteller and keeper. They are also a librarian at the Back of the Yards Library Branch.

Rick "Quique" Vale

Musician, Community Worker, & Artist

Quique is an artist and musician, currently a member of the band Subele that performs across the city. He has led MicroFoam for two years now, an open mic night at Back of the Yards Coffee House.

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Mayra Hernandez

Artist, Community Worker, and Business Owner

Mayra is a visual artist, graphic designer, and youth facilitator working out of Back of the Yards. They are also co-owner of Back of the Yards Coffeeshop.

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Claudia Alvidrez

Storykeeper, Community Worker, & Artist

Claudia is a community member and artist youth instructor + mentor.

Tola's Creations

Tola's Creations provides spiritual items, cultural apparel focusing on African prints, African artwork, jewelry and classes and workshops on African spirituality.

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Godly

Artist

Muralist and Graffiti Artist created mural pieces on 49th and Hermitage, 49th and Marshfield, 51st and Wood, 51st and Elizabeth, 46th and Laflin, 48th and Wolcott, 47th and Ashland.

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Gloria "Gloe" Talamantes

Artist, Community Worker, Storykeeper

Gloria "Gloe" Talamantes is a cultural worker, visual artist, writer, arts and cultural program developer, and placemaker.

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Pedro Gustavo

Pedro Gustavo is a Brighton Park based visual and culinary artist currently engaging community specific culinary+health project. Mainly illustration and graphic work (DRAWING), painter and sculptor. Works with figurative work and work that represents the human soul without fully representing the human body.  ||  "Current project : Old Black Cat - Started off as an idea for providing food to families that were affected by COVID. To offer a healthy pizza pie for a low-cost that can be made and delivered to families who don't have time to cook. Idea is to explore the simplicity of the marguerita pizza. Goal is to become first street vendor selling pizza pies!! Planning to build a woodstove oven on wheels."

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Maximino Gonzalez

Over the last ten years I've worked in Urban agriculture which prompted my mother to share stories, stories that have shifted and stirred my creativity and provided a window to the past that before then was never open to me. When the oppurtunity presents itself i run/have ran workshops on tincture making, jewelry making, and gardening. Currently working with partner in plant starts and sales in Las Yardas.

Mayra Hernandez

Artist, Community Worker, and Business Owner

Mayra is a visual artist, graphic designer, and youth facilitator working out of Back of the Yards. They are also co-owner of Back of the Yards Coffeeshop.

VISIT

Maximino Gonzalez

Over the last ten years I've worked in Urban agriculture which prompted my mother to share stories, stories that have shifted and stirred my creativity and provided a window to the past that before then was never open to me. When the oppurtunity presents itself i run/have ran workshops on tincture making, jewelry making, and gardening. Currently working with partner in plant starts and sales in Las Yardas.

Brighton park

Moni Pizano Luna

Moni is a Brighton Park based visual artist who is part of the McKinley Park based collective, Marimacha Monarca Press. Zine & Printmaking workshops, pedestrian based education and outreach models. Currently have studio that is not open for workshops due to COVID but plans to do so once that is possible. Curate art projects that encompass topics relevant to our communities specifically as qtpoc in our neighborhood. Educator at Richards Career Academy + other arts teaching work inside and outside of schools. Pop-up art making at community events.

David Escobedo

Visual artist and graphic designer - working with graphite and charcoal in drawing and illustration. Surrealist painter - working with a demon based character (reflection of self, outlet?) Work is focused on introspective self work "Try to work in smaller scale but really work with larger scale, eventually want to work with literal illustrations and bringing them into the digital realm" shifting towards digital comic book or animation. Design work for community as well - worked with National Museum of Mexican Art and other projects like Cuarenta Anos de Esperanza: did a 3D map design for that project. Marimacha Monarca: Workshops around printmaking and zinemaking at events like Grabadolandia and other street festivals to teach community that may not be exposed to these arts practices - mainly families and youth. Focus on queerness and latinidad but open to everyone. Before Covid also chosen to be a part of Chicago Park District for Night Out at the Park - turned into an educational film because of covid - (how to harvest different seeds from local flowers specifically milkweed and others that are native to Chicago and essential to the lifecycle of the monarch) linked to queerness and the transformation comparison between butterfly and coming out. Individual: Works with Chicago Dance Theater running youth learning pod doing craft projects between classes (wicker park based).

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Denara Auriel

I am a R&B/Neo-Soul singer/songwriter

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Elizabeth Nungaray

Runs, Teatro Luna West a 501c3 community organization. Although it is virtual platform based in the west coast the events online consist of storytelling events, classes workshops and other artistic projects.

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englewood

Chef Mel

Chef, Land Steward, & Storykeeper

Chef Mel is a community garden steward and chef, who leads cooking demos at the Breathing Room garden and Star Farms. These cooking demos serve as a space for story sharing and community building. || "Gentrification makes it almost impossible for people who live here to afford their rent." - Chef Me

VISIT

Mars D. Silver

Mars D Silver is a community performing artist. Mars D. Silver organizes around Black programs and events at The Logan Center and Harold Washington Cultural Center.

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Richard Gallion

Richard Gallion is a performance coach and teacher. Mr. Gallion offers acting classes, writing classes, and directing classes.

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EA

Community artist who offers diverse programming. Ea offers Inter-generational Arts & Wellness programming (classes, events, workshops) for Social & Emotional development, Dance (performance, choreography therapy), African Drumming (Healing Circles, Community circles/classes, performance), Restorative Theater/ Spoken Word, Yoga, Expressive Art Therapy.

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Zahra Baker

Zahra Baker was mentioned in the third workshop as a community storyteller, she is also a performer, recognized for her work as a folk and jazz vocalist, and dramatic actor. She has worked as a drama and vocal music Teaching Artist in several Chicago Public Schools for the past 25 years. She specializes in African American folk arts including Storytelling: folktales, urban tales, original tales. Vocal music including songwriting, arranging and recording, poetry writing and performance, quilting, and collage. Zahra has performed at venues such as the Old Town School of Folk Music Field Trip Series, the Chicago Jazz Festival, the National Association of Black Storytellers Conference and Festival, the Guild Literary Complex, the Chicago Cultural Center, Jonesborough National Storytelling Festival, Rhode Island Black Storytelling Festival, and countless schools, museums, and festivals for the past 25 years.

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Mohawk Johnson

Mohawk Johnson is an artist and rapper born in Englewood who attended one of the many peaceful protests the summer of 2020 and was arrested for assaulting a CPD officer without evidence to support this claim. The hashtag and instagram FREEMOHAWK has been a source of mutual aid support, Chicago specific resource and activist information and updates on Mohawks current house arrest. FREE MOHAWK has organized multiple marches, multi media collaborations and performance livestreams and participated in mutual aid fundraisers throughout the pandemic.

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Jovonna Jackson

JoVonna Jackson is a mosaic, ceramic muralist, and knitter from Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. Jackson is a member of the Englewood Arts Collective. JoVonna recently completed a residency at Hamilton Park cultural center where ceramic and mosaic workshops held for the community to come and participate. Her goal is to continue this practice for the community to continue to have these outlets.

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Rob Smooth

Rob Smooth is a Hip Hop artist, producer, Audio engineer and a member of the Englewood Arts Collective. Rob leads youth based audio production program called MICAPP (Made in Chicago Audio Production Program).

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Antoine Butler

Antoine Butler is the cofounder of Residential Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.) He is a lifelong Englewood resident and enjoys sharing his talents and giving back to Englewood whenever and however he can. Although he's not a lawyer, he's worked as a Cook County Court Clerk for the last 22 years and his knowledge of the legal system runs deep. He often volunteers his time with adolescents in the community, passing along advice for how to better navigate the legal system in hopes of giving them a second chance. At R.A.G.E. Butler focuses on youth, education, civic engagement, and economic development. He was also the host of Englewood's Docs & Dialogue, a monthly series where community youth could view “shockumentaries” that focused on culture, hip hop, entertainment, and history. He shares his DJ skills and musical talent for free or at a low cost at a variety of local events. He planned to open a restaurant called Ellies Urban Grill as part of the City of Chicago's 2018 Retail Thrive Zone initiative.

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Janelle Nelson

Janelle Nelson is resident and co-founder of JNJ (Janelle and Joe Nelson) Creative (currently on hiatus)— She is a visual consultant, creative project manager and thought-partner, she also provides strategic graphic design solutions for a small number of clients on a rotating basis. Janell works with a myriad of companies and cultivates passion projects that "put a little more good into the world". Projects under her belt span from community events, annual reports, marketing campaigns/adverts, print and digital books, logos, posters, T-shirts (all of the Englewood Arts Collective visuals—including this site), the visuals for Folded Map Project and consultation sessions.

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Jerrod "Just Flo" Butler

Antoine Butler is the cofounder of Residential Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.) He is a lifelong Englewood resident and enjoys sharing his talents and giving back to Englewood whenever and however he can. Although he's not a lawyer, he's worked as a Cook County Court Clerk for the last 22 years and his knowledge of the legal system runs deep. He often volunteers his time with adolescents in the community, passing along advice for how to better navigate the legal system in hopes of giving them a second chance. At R.A.G.E. Butler focuses on youth, education, civic engagement, and economic development. He was also the host of Englewood's Docs & Dialogue, a monthly series where community youth could view “shockumentaries” that focused on culture, hip hop, entertainment, and history. He shares his DJ skills and musical talent for free or at a low cost at a variety of local events. He planned to open a restaurant called Ellies Urban Grill as part of the City of Chicago's 2018 Retail Thrive Zone initiative.

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Joe "Cujadoh" Nelson

Janelle Nelson is resident and co-founder of JNJ (Janelle and Joe Nelson) Creative (currently on hiatus)— She is a visual consultant, creative project manager and thought-partner, she also provides strategic graphic design solutions for a small number of clients on a rotating basis. Janell works with a myriad of companies and cultivates passion projects that "put a little more good into the world". Projects under her belt span from community events, annual reports, marketing campaigns/adverts, print and digital books, logos, posters, T-shirts (all of the Englewood Arts Collective visuals—including this site), the visuals for Folded Map Project and consultation sessions.

VISIT

McKinley Park

Dayna Calderon

Dayna is a former member of the McKinley Park Advisory Council. There they coordinate free programming for youth and families, organize Farmers Market, concert series. They are founding member of the McKinley Park Development Council which works to foster economic, cultural and social development within the McKinley Park community.

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Jessica Carrillo-Guerrero

Jessica is a community member based in McKinley Park.

Irasema Gonzalez

Irasema is a writer and Mckinley Park community member.

Rosa E Pineda

Part of the collective The Dark Spiral and sculpturist

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Sarita Maritza

Print & zine artist and collective lead of Marimacha Monarcha Press

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Delilah "Zena" Salgado

With my work I want to create an alternate reality one that is fueled by dreams and the myths of our past. I invoke long forgotten goddesses and gods of ancient cultures from Greek mythology to Aztec legends. My influences are: Graffiti, Mexican Folk Art, Street Art, Tattoos, Surrealism, Art Noveau, and Art Deco. I am also interested in metaphysics, religion,and philosophy. I study symbols and like to incorporate them into my paintings, illustrations, and murals. My use of color is derived from Graffiti and Mexican folk art and always changes depending on what I feel. I enjoy experimenting with a range of media such as: acrylics, pastels, paint markers, colored pencils, collage, aerosol spray paint, pencils, and pens. I love to take risks in my art and in my life as well.

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L/ L.O.Z / Latham Zearfoss

Latham Zearfoss works in Chicago, where they produce time-based images, objects and experiences about selfhood and otherness. Outside of the studio, they contribute to collective motions toward joy and reflection through social projects such as a queer dance party (Chances Dances), a critical space for white allyship (Make Yourself Useful), and an itinerant conference on socially-engaged art (Open Engagement). Latham graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA in 2008 and the University of Illinois at Chicago with an MFA in 2011. They have exhibited their work, screened their videos, and DJed internationally and all over the U.S.

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Marya Spont-Lemus

Marya Spont-Lemus (she/her/hers) is a writer, interdisciplinary artist, and informal educator. In all her work, she strives to enable a more empathetic and just society. With her partner, Andrés Lemus-Spont, she co-created the FrankenToyMobile (2014-2019; an ¡Anímate! Studio project) and is a co-founder of the Mobilize Creative Collaborative. She lives, works, and makes on the Southwest Side of Chicago.

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Connor

I am a musician, but have been working as a sound engineer on records lately.

Gage park

Mario Mena

Resident Artist for Gage Park Latinx Council

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