CHANGING WORLDS

Our after-school programs are year-long residencies led by teaching artists, and harness the power of the arts to improve student learning, foster identity exploration, and bridge cultural divides. In addition to at least 10 studio sessions, students take field trips to local arts and cultural events. Lastly, our Passport to High School Success (PHSS) after-school program partners with America SCORES Chicago (a 21st Century Community Learning Center lead agency). The PHSS program supports high school and career readiness components for middle school students through year-long arts, culture, sports, and creative writing.

We also provide one-on-one professional development sessions to Chicago Public Schools teachers and our cadre of teaching artists and writers in arts integration techniques. Our art and writing curriculum dismantles stereotypes, teaches empathy and understanding, and incorporates youth voice and youth choice to ensure that students’ opinions and ideas are integrated into their learning goals.

Follow the journeys of immigrant and refugee families through their stories of change, loss, cultural traditions, new beginnings, triumphs and dreams for the future. These intergenerational stories, derived from our original exhibit at Hibbard Elementary School in Albany Park, were told by families from Poland, Cambodia, Iraq, Mexico, Somalia, Pakistan, Nicaragua, Palestine, Bosnia, Kosovo and Puerto Rico.

Translations of the family stories into 16 different languages enable people of many backgrounds to experience the exhibit while learning about the differences and discovering common bonds.

Exhibit features maps, photos and the stories of 11 families printed on colorful vinyl panels. The 12th panel is an introduction to the exhibit. There are 6 free-standing structures that each display two panels.

Changing Worlds can ship the exhibit anywhere in the continental United States! You will receive easy-to-follow instructions for setting up and breaking down the exhibit. Additional shipping fees apply. To bring the oral history and photography traveling exhibit to your school, special event or community-based site, contact Alicia Vega at [email protected] or (312) 421-8261.