Illinois Humanities Awards $85,000 in Project Grant Funds to 11 Illinois Cultural Organizations

Mendota Museum & Historical Society (Mendota, IL)
Where Our Paths Meet: Journeys to Mendota gathers and shares the stories of elder first-generation Hispanic immigrants who moved to Mendota, many from the same small town in Mexico. The project includes videotaped interviews, a public exhibit at the Hume-Carnegie Museum, and a 30-minute documentary to encourage ongoing storytelling and community connection.

Illinois Heartland Library System (Edwardsville, IL)
The IHLS Mobile Memory Lab Expansion helps communities preserve and share local history. By creating a replicable model for libraries, museums, and historical groups, the project empowers communities to digitize and celebrate their stories, making history more accessible and engaging.

Narratives (Rock Island, IL)
Narratives’ QC Creative Arts Showcase and Classes use spoken word workshops to help vulnerable young adults in the Quad Cities find their voice, process trauma, and build community. The program culminates in a public showcase that fosters dialogue around mental health and resilience.

Garvey Tubman Cultural Arts and Research Center (Springfield, IL)
The Summer Arts Program offers creative cultural arts engagements, healthy foods education, field trips, STEM activities, and speaker series for youth. Collaborators include Motherland Garden Project, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners, and 4-H Youth Development.

Federación de Clubes Michoacanos en Illinois / Casas Michoacán (Carbondale, IL)
Casa Michoacán Carbondale Placemaking, Community Cohesion, and Security 2025 engages Latine/x/Indigenous communities in southern Illinois through a collaborative mural project. The initiative fosters dialogue and community building in response to anti-immigrant sentiment.

Mezcla Media Collective (Chicago, IL)
Mezcla Media Collective’s Shades of Chicago Screening Series is a curated film shorts program showcasing the work of up to 12 Chicagoland BIPOC filmmakers. The series will be presented at multiple venues across the region and include post-screening discussions that highlight each artist’s creative process and vision.

First Nations Film and Video Festival Inc. (Chicago, IL)
The FNFVF 35th Anniversary Festival celebrates 35 years of showcasing Indigenous-directed films and videos. The festival promotes Native American self-representation in media and features works by Indigenous filmmakers from across the Americas.

Black Alphabet (Chicago, IL)
The Black Alphabet Film Festival (BAFF) celebrates Black LGBTQ+ voices through film screenings, panel discussions, and community conversations. As one of the longest-running Black LGBTQ+ film festivals, BAFF continues to foster visibility, storytelling, and cultural dialogue.

Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (Chicago, IL)
Creating Our Cultural Stories brings together youth—including those with disabilities—to explore and share their personal narratives. In partnership with Project: VISION, the program promotes cross-cultural understanding and self-expression.