From Conversations to Communities: A People’s Salon’s Ongoing Journey

One of the best things about working at Illinois Humanities is that it is an organization which, by its very nature, is in constant and ever-unfolding partnership with incredible people, organizations, and communities across the state (and sometimes far beyond!). Over the ten years that I’ve worked at Illinois Humanities, I have often commented that I feel humbled by how much I get to learn at work and how many brilliant and inspiring people I get to meet, thanks to the endless opportunities the public humanities offer to look at our world, our history, and ourselves from new perspectives and in deeper contexts. But the good news is that such bounty is not, cannot, and should not be hoarded or contained. 

When we decided to launch A People’s Salon at Illinois Humanities, we had this wealth and abundance – of people, of ideas, and of spirit – in mind. It’s one thing to work at Illinois Humanities and have the unique opportunity to meet the people who make our core programs thrive, but it’s another to share space with those amazing people while they meet one another. Something intangible yet undeniably powerful happens when we gather with intention around a delicious meal and a shared desire to learn from one another. Ideas are sparked, new connections are formed, communities coalesce – all kinds of emergent momentum is built. This is the nature of salons at their best: they connect, unite, nourish, and inspire. 

Over the course of the first four People’s Salons, we broke bread with Illinois Humanities program partners, grantee partners, artists, legislators, board members, new friends, and far beyond. What we witnessed confirmed what I shared above – that we inhabit a marvelously abundant cultural landscape alongside thinkers, doers, and makers who hold worlds of knowledge and experience, and that together we can build new worlds and futures that otherwise would not be possible. A venue or menu or presentation alone cannot achieve such a feat, however. The public humanities – with their capacity to connect us more deeply to one another – transform the sharing of those worlds into an exchange with immeasurable yet ineffable impact. In short, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts at A People’s Salon. 

We couldn’t be more excited to dive back in with four new People’s Salons this Spring. Keep your calendars clear on March 26th, April 23th, May 28th, and June 25th (all Wednesday evenings) and keep your eyes tuned to our newsletters and social media channels, because you’re sincerely and cordially invited to join us. 

Let’s take a look at A People’s Salon in 2024!

We launched our first slate of four salons between August and November 2024 at Haymarket House. We were delighted to roll out a series with an emphasis on hospitality in such a warm and welcoming venue run by one of our favorite local publishers. And speaking of hospitality – we turned to our friends at TXA TXA Club to craft exceptional meals and beverages that ensured each evening was nourishing on levels both literal and metaphorical. The fine folks at Kestral Wine & Spirits generously donated wine for those who chose to partake. And in the metaphorical realm, we turned to interdisciplinary designer Eleanor Kahn to create experiential activations and decor that enhanced each salon’s theme. And all the action was captured by the phenomenal photographers at GlitterGuts Photography, whose photos you can peruse alongside summaries of each event below.

THE CLIMATE: A People’s Salon (Aug 28, 2024)

To kick the series off in style, IH board member and environmental justice expert Sylvia Ewing joined me to co-host and curate the evening, which comprised six short (5-7 minute) presentations all addressing the theme in different ways. Rachel Havrelock of UIC’s Freshwater Lab talked about where our water comes from, how it makes its way to us, and why this is so hard to find out. Damon Williams and Daniel Kisslinger of Respair Media shared an excerpt and insights from their podcast Help This Garden Grow, which traces the legacy of activist and organizer Hazel Johnson in her quest for environmental justice in Altgeld Gardens. Artist Candace Hunter shared work from her multimedia project, Dust in Their Veins, which explores the relationship between women and water rights, water scarcity, and water safety. Poet and playwright Timothy David Rey chose to focus on the political climate: he performed his original monologue, “Passing,” which portrays a white woman who makes the pernicious choice to pose and “pass” as Black. The hip hop duo Air Credits performed songs from a dystopian future where the climate situation has worsened significantly and clean air has become the planet’s primary form of currency. And our wonderful host, Sylvia Ewing, shared some of her own poetry and poignant reflections about the climate in both its political and environmental dimensions. Our great friends at Haymarket Books also gifted all attendees with a copy of Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua’s Not Too Late.

THE DREAM: A People’s Salon (Sept 26, 2024)

THE DREAM featured an array of presenters and performers with abundant wisdom, talent, and perspective to share as it relates to the concept of the American Dream on the precipice of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Illinois Humanities’ own Director of Statewide Programs, Fairouz AbuGhazaleh, joined the event via Zoom from her home in Mahomet, IL to share one of her favorite poems, “To My Mother” by Mahmoud Darwish, in both English and Arabic. RefugeeOne Youth Activities Coordinator, performer, and author Willy Palomo shared excerpts from his book, Wake The Others, which wrestles with the legacy of the Salvadorian Civil War. Classical guitarist (and director of the Latin American Guitar Festival) Iván Resendiz performed two beautiful songs and discussed his own personal journey to becoming a U.S. citizen. Bindu Poroori, an organizer, artist, and Director of Community Organizing at Arts Alliance Illinois, shared an Indian lullaby and a story about the ethnic evolution and oppression at the heart of her parents’ neighborhood in a small town in Georgia. Faylita Hicks performed pieces from her poetry book A Map of My Want, which uses the Declaration of Independence as a springboard for exploring desire and autonomy in an age of mass incarceration and dehumanization. And Zeshan B performed several songs on the harmonium from his acclaimed album O Say, Can You See? Guests collaged their responses to the question “what does the American Dream mean to you?” on a giant scroll designed by Eleanor Kahn, and some elected to have their responses filmed by Tony Santiago for a forthcoming IH project. Haymarket Books generously donated a copy of The Speech by Gary Younge to all guests.

FEAR ITSELF: A People’s Salon (Oct 30, 2024)

With a national election & Halloween around the corner, the evening provided an opportunity to both acknowledge anxieties and conquer fears. Guests were encouraged to write their fears down on small pieces of “ghost paper” and place them in a cauldron. Eleanor Kahn designed exquisite corpse templates that enabled guests to collaborate with one another on new creations. Writer and director Coya Paz shared compelling thoughts from her Tedx Talk on ghosts (what do they want? what can they teach us?). Illinois State Senator Robert Peters discussed his journey as a legislator and his belief that engaging in local politics is a powerful way to combat despair. Dr. Willie Mae Jackson, forensic psychiatrist and thriller novel author, discussed the root and function of fear and its impacts on our lives. And performer Mary Williamson – in rather terrifying clown attire – alternated between creeping us out, making us laugh, and asking us to contemplate what makes a thing scary in the first place. It was a balmy night for late October, and we led guests outside to a firepit after the final performance to read their fears aloud and burn them in the fire. After that, we all had s’mores. Haymarket House gave away copies of AZADI: Freedom. Fascism. Fiction by Arundhati Roy to all guests.

HOUSE & HOME: A People’s Salon (Nov 20, 2024)

Guests filled in the blank(et) by completing the phrase “Home is where…” on a patch of fabric and affixing it to a brightly colored blanket. Since the weather had started to turn chilly, many wrapped themselves up in those blankets and got cozy for that evening’s presentations, which were kicked off by Patric McCoy, co-founder of Diasporal Rhythms and the proud collector of over 1500 pieces of art, mostly by Black artists, that cover every inch of the walls of his house. Patric’s presentation demystified the idea of being an art collector and demonstrated the deep significance that a single home can have for an entire community. Laurie Jo Reynolds and James Orr shared the critical efforts of the Chicago 400 Alliance, which works to challenge public conviction registries and residency restrictions that displace, exclude, and reincarcerate people with past convictions, while failing to prevent victimization or support survivors. Poet and cultural organizer Tiff Beatty performed an original poem, discussed her own housing history, and shared some of the exciting ethos and energy behind the forthcoming National Public Housing Museum, where she is Associate Director. And director, dancer, and artist Robyn Mineko Williams shared photos and heirlooms that belonged to her grandmother, Hisako, who was incarcerated in a Japanese internment camp during World War II and is the subject of Robyn’s stellar place-based performance piece, Hisako’s House.