Essence McDowell, co-author, with Mariame Kaba, of Lifting as They Climbed: Mapping a History of Trailblazing Black Women in Chicago.. . . . Join us to hear about an amazing book, an essential guidebook to influential Black women from Chicago’s South and West Sides, and their social, cultural, and artistic contributions to movements both past and present. This book is a testament to women whose stories have gone largely untold, and whose lives reveal powerful connections between their endeavors and present-day struggles for radical community building and solidarity. With no “official” landmarks to preserve the history of their social justice efforts, this book is an intervention against their erasure.. . . . Essence McDowell is the co-author with Mariame Kaba of Lifting as They Climbed. She is a writer, commuications strategist and creative director. She uses community engagement, digital design, and communication technologies to strengthen community institutions, and advance justice-based organizations. She has worked with national and local entities: Illinois Humanities Council, Chicago Torture Justice Memorials, Latino Policy Form, Black Feminist Future, and Chicago Public Schools. She is the former director of arts and communications at the Social Justice Initiative, where she co-founded the Chicago Justice gallery and created over 50 public programs, community events, and symposia.. . . . Organized by the Women's Center and the Department of Women's and Gender Studies at DePaul and cosponsored by DePaul's African and Black Diaspora Studies, American Studies, Center for Black Diaspora, and Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies.
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Event Details: dehub.depaul.edu/rsvp?id=388124