Many thanks to Green Community Connections and One Earth Film Festival's incredible leaders and partners, we concluded our inaugural Summer of the I Can Fly Youth Leadership Program with flying colors, and had a great time doing it, too.
- See I Can Fly program highlights in this photo album.
- See photo highlights from I Can Fly's Field Trips and its Speaker Series, here.
- See the original program backgrounder here.
- JOIN US at the program's graduation/zero waste block party event on Sat, Sept 16th @11A-2P. Rain or shine! DETAILS + RSVP HERE.
We couldn't have pulled it off without the following skilled, talented, generous folks. BIG GRATITUDE TO . . .
Main program partners:
Those who led instruction from key partnering organizations:
- Doris Davenport, I Can Fly Program Coordinator, Green Community Connections and Radio Show Host, The Doris Davenport Show
- Cheryl Munoz, Founder/Executive Director, Sugar Beet Schoolhouse
- Aniki Shani, Program Coordinator, Sugar Beet Schoohouse
- Stephanie Walquist, Vice President and Board Member, West Cook Wild Ones
- Vince Gomez, Horticultural Therapist, The Chicago Botanic Garden
- Tia Jones Etu, Whatever Comes to Mind Studios
- Lissa Dysart, Marketing, Sugar Beet Food Coop
Those who provided special funding:
- Braden & Eileen Mechley
- Walter S. Mander Foundation
Those who provided food donations:
- Felony Franks: Owner, Deno Andrews
- Sugar Beet Food Coop: Catering Manager, Jolie Hendrickson; Marketing Manager, Lissa Dysart; General Manager, Chris Roland; Founder, Cheryl Munoz
Those who hosted us for riveting, enriching Field Trips:
- Emmanuel Pratt and Jia Li Pratt at Sweetwater Foundation, Chicago
- Vince Gomez, Barbara Kreski, and Alicia Green at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe
- Cheryl Munoz and Aniki Shani, Sugarbeet Schoolhouse, River Forest
- The Kitchen farm-to-table restaurant and The Chicago Theater, for the Van Jones "We Rise" Tour.
- Please watch Van Jones' incredible keynote as he addressed a mostly young, very diverse Chicago audience during his change-making "We Rise" tour.
- Please also skip to 1:16 on this video of the "We Rise" Miami tour to see a short, potent clip by Van Jones about the "Founding Reality" vs the "Founding Dream."
Those who came to share wisdom, expertise, and inspiration during our Speaker Series:
- Chef Fresh Roberson of Growing Power's Fresh Moves Program and Peterson Garden Project
- Seamus Ford, Co-Founder and Director, Root-Riot Urban Garden Network/Harambee Garden
- Patrick Quinn, Former Governor, State of Illinois
- Mark and Christine Fisher of Three Queens Organic Maple Syrup
- Chef Kristopher Murray of University of Chicago and Bon Appetit, and the New England Culinary Institute
- Michael Strautmanis, Vice President of Civic Engagement, Barack Obama Foundation
Those who provided donations of tools, funds, meal money, and supplies:
- Amy Anesi
- Sally and Robert Ahlgren
- Ana Garcia Doyle and Jim Doyle
- Michelle Dybal
- Seamus Ford
- Laura and Eric Jordahl
- Susan Lucci
- Cheryl Munoz
- Libbey and Michael Paul
- Patrick Quinn
- Maureen Spielman
- St. Martin's Church
- Sara Wienkes
- Susan and Douglas Winchell
- Jodi and Lila Wine
- Deb Wolkenstein
- Liz Ziehl
Other supporters and partners:
- Kennett Brackett, Frederick Douglass Academy High School
- Chris and Anthony, Visual and Audio Professionals Chicago
- Anita Haskell, St. Martin's Episcopal Church
- Erica and Bret Hilgart, Lynette Bell, and Donald Rivers, A House in Austin
- Emelda Lawson-Bekkal, Center for College Access and Success, Northeastern IL University
- Camille Lilly, IL State Representative
- Loretto Hospital, Chicago
- Abdul Muhammed, Principal, Frederick Douglass Academy High School
- Larry Nance, St. Martin's Episcopal Church
- Maria Sorrell, Root-Riot Urban Garden Network/Harambee Garden
- Anne Stapleton, Center for College Access and Success, Northeastern IL University
- Al Stinson, Frederick Douglass Academy High School/BAM Program
- Annette Toscano, Alternatives, Inc./St. Martin's Episcopal Church Youth Program
- Mary Caite Walthall, Alternatives, Inc./St. Martin's Episcopal Church Youth Program
- Joanne Willis, Chicago Public Library Austin Branch