Leading up to its annual luncheon in October, Chicago Foundation for Women wanted an event that would inspire people around the theme, Activate, and bring together diverse organizations that are working toward a common goal: bettering the lives of women and girls.
The resulting panel discussion, Beyond the Bridge: From Creating Coalitions to Creating Change for Women and Girls, features representatives from four organizations that are known for their activism and success in collaboration, said Kyle Ann Sebastian, manager of communications for Chicago Foundation for Women.
“Our ultimate goal is for people to walk away feeling inspired and feeling activated, and that they learned something about the amazing work that’s being done in the Chicago region,” Sebastian said. “We’re also hoping that it encourages people to get out of their bubble a little bit and reach across to folks who are in the struggle with you,” albeit from a different angle and perspective.
The panel will be moderated by Maya Dukmasova and includes:
- Jennifer Arwade, Communities United
- Sessy Nyman, EverThrive Illinois
- Ana Romero, Chicago Workers’ Collaborative
- Tanya Watkins, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation
In addition to CFW, the panel is being presented by the Women’s March on Chicago, Chicago Public Library, Chicago Women Take Action, and Grassroots Collaborative.
Some attendees will have the chance to win tickets to see “Dolores,” a new documentary about the life of labor organizer Dolores Huerta, at the Gene Siskel Film Center in September.
Huerta is one of the keynote speakers for CFW’s luncheon on Oct. 19, and she’ll be on stage in conversation with Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter. Sebastian says the two women represent two distinct generations of global activism, from Huerta’s literal field work organizing farm workers in the 1960s with Cèsar Chàvez, to Garza’s achievements using the 21st Century tools of social media to create a movement.
If you can’t make it to the panel discussion Wednesday, it will be streamed live on CFW’s Facebook page.
Event details:
Beyond the Bridge
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 30
Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St.
Admission is free but space is limited. Click here to register.