Volunteer Your Time Working to Create the Tubman-Kahlo Resource Center
The Tubman-Kahlo Resource Center
Chicago Urban Art Retreat Center has a big project and is looking for volunteers to help! We are planning the building of the Tubman-Kahlo Resource Center at the Kedzie stop on the Pink Line. Feel free to reach out to contact@urbanartretreat.com if you are interested in being a part of a committee. Here is where the proposed Tubman-Kahlo Resource Center will be built: 1957-59 S. Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60623.
Our Plan
To revitalize the area around the Kedzie Pink Line stop and to serve the neighborhoods of Little Village and North Lawndale, we plan to:
- Clean up the area and install sculptures, kiosks, flower beds, murals, etc. in the surrounding area. Along with adding art and beauty, we hope to train volunteers to hand out brochures about what to do in the area, and train them in how to de-escalate minor disputes, and to call the police when needed.
- Plan and implement the Communities Art Walk for both neighborhoods which would include families along Kedzie between 19th and 24th with tables where kids can make art, bunches of balloons at each house along Kedzie, vendors and performers at vacant lots. It will also include a tour bus to take folks to locations that day further away in both Little Village and North Lawndale such as art studios and art galleries and the businesses who are showing art that day.
- Build a resource center at the corner of 21st and kedzie on two vacant lots owned by the city. We hope this building might be named for Tubman-Kahlo and have a patio named for Frieda Kahlo. On the 1st floor, there will be a vegan cafe, art gallery also used as a meeting room and for youth programming, a stage space, a lounge with seating and computers for visitors to use, shelves of books for perusal, vending machines with healthy options, a reception area, an office for referrals for services, a thrift home furnishings store staffed by formerly homeless people and formerly incarcerated folks, and a florist shop operated by adults with intellectual disabilities. On the 2nd and 3rd floors, there will be incubator spaces for small businesses and entrepreneurs to utilize. On the roof, we will grow flowers and plans, and have solar panels. We plan to install a patio on 21st. We also plan for installing large sculptures with poems in both Spanish and English with images.
We need volunteers now and down the road. Do you want to help with this project? Email us at contact@urbanartretreat.com.
The Brochure
The creation of, the layout, and content of the brochure developed over time by reviewing the brochure at our weekly staff meetings. It started with an idea and general content and layout by director, Dianna C. Long. She gave her quick sketch to Amanda Martinez. Amanda came up with an amazing layout which bowled over the staff at our meeting. We all added input. Next it went to Lori David. Lori did a couple editions. We all loved the changes. The architectural renderings of the building are by Liborio Miranda. The image of Harriet Tubman and Frida Kahlo included was by Camila Gonzalez. The drawing of what the area near the CTA stop at Kedzie & 21st could look like was created by the Starbucks design team.
The brochure tells what we are planning for a resource center at the corner of Kedzie and 21st. We hope to provide a healthy place for all to benefit from. We envision bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to enjoy what they have in common and to support the Positive. We also plan to network with and make referrals to other organizations who are providing services in our communities.
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