It’s On Us: A Day of Art & Action
It’s On Us: A Day of Art & Action on June 13, 2026 is a free, one-day celebration of Chicago freedom struggles that asks us, “what blooms when ICE melts?” This gathering invites you to engage the senses through art, music, and connection with the earth–and each other–to imagine how freedom might look, feel, sound, smell, and taste.
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM: Citywide neighborhood activations in the morning, with Blocks Together, Free Street Theater, HANA Center, Kuumba Lynx, Sistas in the Village , and 18th Street Casa de Cultura
4:00 – 8:00 PM: Free art activities, music, and resource fair at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center including:
- Art activities with Maria Gaspar, Kush Thompson, William Estrada, Yehimi Cambrón Álvarez, Silvia Inés Gonzalez, and more
- Community resources from Illinois Humanities, Chicago Torture Justice Center, Walls Turned Sideways, and more
- Soapbox speeches by Richard Wallace of Equity and Transformation, Rey Wences of Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Rev. Jaime L. Fluker of Southside Organized for Unity and Liberation, and more
- Performances by Jamila Woods, Taína Asili, Damon Williams, Kristiana Rae Colón, and a Chicago Second Line procession
What blooms next is not inevitable. We hope you will join us on June 13 to cultivate a free and just future together.
RSVP: go.uic.edu/iou
