The vibrant, artistic, and community-oriented Rebuild Foundation in Chicago’s south side will be host to an evening of stories and conversation on Jesus Freaks, Queer Triangles, and Activist Lotharios; or you know, Radical Love.
Coya Paz, writer, performer and artistic director of Free Street Theater will be the special host for the evening, and she has invited four storytellers to share their funny, honest and deeply personal tales that challenge commercial notions of love and romance. If love is a verb, what are we trying to do? Join us for conversations about love as being central to the many facets of our lives.
This all-ages event is free and open to the public.
Children are welcome and will have the opportunity to create art pieces about love.
RSVP Today!
More about our storytellers:
Senyo Ador is an engineer and writer raised between Accra, Ghana and Chicago’s western suburbs. Ruled by both his technical and creative hemispheres, Senyo cites Gil Scott Heron and Nikola Tesla as major influences in his approach to life and work. Senyo is now helping to electrify rural areas in his native Ghana while actively seeking outlets to hone his writing and share in meaningful exchanges with fellow ChiTown dreamers. Senyo appeared in Guild Complex Theater Incubator: Unnatural Spaces and Tour Guides as well as 2nd Story’s: The End Of The World As We Know It and Say My Name.
Ricardo Gamboa is an artist, activist and academic working in his native Chicago and New York City. In Chicago, Gamboa was Founder and Artistic Director of Teatro Americano, Company Member of Barrel of Monkeys, artist-in-residence at the National Museum of Mexican Art’s Yollocalli ArtsReach, and currently performs with the Southside Ignoramus Quintet, is Artistic Associate at Free-Street Theater, and Founding Adult Partner and collaborator of the controversialcritically acclaimed radical youth ensemble The Young Fugitives.
Lakeesha J. Harris: Is a Health Educator at Chicago Women’s Health Center, a Reiki Master, Root Worker, Diviner and Owner of Sojourner’s Healing Room, a mobile healing space for the oppressed. In 2011 she was selected as the Student Laureate representing Northeastern Illinois University. She is a Playwright whose political literary work, Spirit House – a collaborative play written with Dr. Geryll Robinson – was commissioned by the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center to address gender disparities in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Coya Paz (curator) is a poet, director, and lip gloss connoisseur who was raised in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil before moving permanently to the United States in 1987. Coya is the Artistic Director of Free Street Theatre, and an Assistant Professor in the Theatre School at DePaul University. She is also a founding member of Proyecto Latina, and the co-founder of Teatro Luna, where she served as co-Artistic Director from 2000-2009. Coya holds a PhD in Performance Studies at Northwestern University and is a regular commentator on race, media and pop culture for Vocalo.org(90.7). Above all, she believes in the power of performance and poetry to build community towards social change.
Jasmin Cardenas will be facilitating our kids activities.
She is a bilingual Spanish and English storyteller, actress, arts educator, activist and performer. Jasmin was the recipient of the 2013 Race Bridges Storytelling Fellowship and is a long time performer of 2nd Story. A regular artist in residence Jasmin has worked with young children, adolescents, adults and seniors all over the world. She is a member of the Chicago Storytelling Guild and sits on the board of the Pedagogy and Theater of the Oppressed.
This is the third installment in the IHC’s Living in Color storytelling series, produced in part with the Chicago Community Trust.
Note about the space:
Dorchester Projects is a home located in two neighboring buildings on Dorchester Avenue and 69th Street, the home is unmarked but we’ll have signage out on the day of the program. You’ll recognize it because of its distinct “recycled materials” look.
If you need a sign interpreter or require other arrangements to fully participate, please call 312.422.5580 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
For parking locations near the facility, please visit ChicagoParkingMap.com.