Chicago, IL – We, Women: The Power of We, a free outdoor community art exhibition, will launch in Chicago on The Bloomingdale Trail at The 606, at the St. Louis overlook, following two successful public exhibits in Brooklyn Bridge Park, NY and New Orleans, LA. This exhibit, created by We, Women, highlights 18 impactful socially engaging projects which examine crucial issues on the minds of many Americans: immigration, education, climate change, race, motherhood and family, healthcare, religion, criminal justice reform, gentrification, sexual assault, and more. The photographic display comprises 380 feet of imagery that will reach tens of thousands of people through its summer run.

The exhibition’s grand opening will take place on Saturday, June 18th, on The 606, St. Louis overlook, with an afternoon of programming starting at 1:30 pm. The day's final event will feature a gallery talk by Chicago-based social justice artist Tonika Johnson. 

The full schedule is below:

• 1:30-2:30 - Family program featuring sun prints project. Please feel free to bring small objects to use on your prints or use some of ours.  For more info visit sunprints.org.

• 2:30 - 3:30 - Dance and music performance featuring AfriCaribe

AfriCaribe is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, research, promotion, and development of Puerto Rican and Caribbean cultures through music, dance, theater, and other artistic media.

• 3:45-4:15 – Gallery talk featuring Tonika Johnson

Tonika Johnson is a photographer, social justice artist, and life-long resident of Chicago’s South Side neighborhood of Englewood. She is also co-founder of the Englewood Arts Collective and Resident Association of Greater Englewood, which seek to reframe the narrative of South Side communities and mobilize people and resources for positive change. Tonika’s art often explores urban segregation, documenting the nuance and richness of the black community to counter media depictions of Chicago’s violence.

In case of inclement weather, programming will take place at the Kimball Arts Center. 

The complete list of artists included in the Chicago exhibition are below:

• Sol Aramendi - New York: Immigration

• Katie Basile - Alaska: Climate Change

• Cinthya Santos Briones - New Jersey: Immigration and Detention 

• Koral Carballo, Anita Pouchard Serra, Jessica Ávalos - Washington, DC Metro Area: Migration 

• Deborah Espinosa - Washington State: Criminal Justice & Class 

• Annie Flanagan + Ashley Teamer - Louisiana: Representation in Sports 

• Tailyr Irvine - Montana: Indigenous Rights 

• Tonika Johnson - Chicago, Illinois: Segregation, Inequality & Race 

• Ericka Jones-Craven - Georgia: Religious Tolerance, Sexuality & Gender 

• Stacy Kranitz - Tennessee: Rural Healthcare 

• Muna Malik - Minnesota: Immigration & Religious Freedom 

• Bethany Mollenkof - Alabama: Maternal Health

• Rosem Morton - Maryland: Sexual Assault 

• Rowan Renee - Florida: Criminal Justice, Gender, & Sexuality

• Kameelah Janan Rasheed - California: Community Change & Preservation of Local Histories 

• Karen Miranda Rivadeneira - Seneca Nation in Salamanca and Cattaraugus: Water Preservation 

• Mayela Rodriguez - Michigan: Latinx Communities & Political Participation 

• Arin Yoon - Kansas: Military Families & War

The work will be displayed along the Bloomingdale Trail at The 606 at the St. Louis Overlook. Please check www.nightoutintheparks.com for additional information.

The We, Women: The Power of We exhibit and opening ceremony is presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series, supported by the Mayor’s Office and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Celebrating 10 years, the 2022 Night Out in the Parks program presents cultural events year-round in neighborhood parks throughout the city. The Chicago Park District in partnership with over 120 local artists and organizations, present 700+ world-class events and performances that enhance quality of life across Chicago and amplify the artistic and cultural vibrancy in every neighborhood. Through multiple disciplines, which include theater, music, movies, dance, site-specific work, nature programs, and community festivals, the series aims to support Chicago-based artists, facilitate community-based partnerships and programs, cultivate civic engagement, and ensure equity in access to the arts for all Chicagoans. The full schedule of events is available to view at www.nightoutintheparks.com and on the free Night Out mobile application My Chi Parks™.

Please join us for Visual Rebellions: Reframing and Resisting Power through Feminist Photography — a panel discussion co-hosted by the Open Society Foundations and We, Women. We, Women artists Katie Basile, Tonika Johnson, Mayela Rodriguez, and Arin Yoon will discuss their projects and how they work in partnership with the communities they document to find common ground and innovative solutions to the critical problems that currently divide the United States.

WATCH THE RECORDING HERE!

Register here!

Join a collection of artists from the inaugural cohort of We, Women grantees for a lively discussion and deep dive into their projects. We, Women is the largest social impact photo-based art project by more than 20 women and gender nonconforming artists currently underway across the U.S. — learn how our artists’ work highlights the power of community engagement to find common ground and solutions to the most critical problems facing our country today.

Participating We, Women artists include Arin Yoon, Stacy Kranitz, Deborah Espinosa, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Anita Pouchard Serra + Koral Carballo + Jessica Ávalos, Tailyr Irvine, Willow Naomi Curry, and Bethany Mollenkof. Moderated by We, Women co-founders Daniella Zalcman, Laura Roumanos, and Danielle Villasana.

Register here!

Join a collection of artists from the inaugural cohort of We, Women grantees for a lively discussion and deep dive into their projects. We, Women is the largest social impact photo-based art project by more than 20 women and gender nonconforming artists currently underway across the U.S. — learn how our artists’ work highlights the power of community engagement to find common ground and solutions to the most critical problems facing our country today.

Participating We, Women artists include Tonika Lewis Johnson, Sol Aramendi, Mayela Rodriguez, Rosem Morton, Katie Basile, Rowan Renee, Ericka Jones-Craven, Cinthya Santos Briones, and Willow Naomi Curry. Moderated by We, Women co-founders Emily Schiffer, Rina Malonzo, and Amy Yenkin.

Register here!

In a lightning round of questions and answers, We, Women Co-founders and Artists will explore the many facets of this social impact photo-based art project by more than 20 women and gender non-conforming artists currently underway across the United States. In a country that is witnessing pivotal public protest and civic engagement and feels more divided than ever, We, Women shows the power of artists working in community throughout the U.S. to find common ground and solutions to the most critical problems facing the country today.

Through photo-based, community engagement projects, the inaugural cohort of We, Women artists examine critical issues ranging from climate change, political participation, and gentrification to health, migration, and sexuality. Join us as we highlight the work of We, Women artists and the vital role the arts can play in social change movements by visualizing issues, attracting attention, connecting changemakers, and bridging dialogues.

Moderated by We, Women Co-Founders Amy Yenkin, Danielle Villasana, Emily Schiffer, Laura Roumanos, and Rina Malonzo. Participating We, Women artists include Sol Aramendi, Deborah Espinosa, Tonika Lewis Johnson, Rosem Morton, Mayela Rodriguez, Muna Malik, Anita Pouchard Serra + Koral Carballo + Jessica Ávalos, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Rowan Renee, Katie Basile, Tailyr Irvine, Cinthya Santos Briones, Willow Naomi Curry + Tiffany Smith, and Ericka Jones-Craven.