Anniversary Block Party to take place on September 28, Celebrating 10 Years of Creative Teen Expression
Chicago Public Library’s (CPL) will host a Teen Block Party on Saturday, September 28 from 1-7 p.m. to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the innovative YOUmedia program. The celebration will take place outside of Harold Washington Library Center on Plymouth Court between Van Buren Street and Ida B. Wells Drive.
YOUmedia teens, Chicago students, alumni, families, and partners are invited to join the daylong festivities. These include live musical performances, art activities, and special guest appearances. The Chicago Park District will be on hand to provide recreational opportunities, from arts and crafts to sports, as well as health and wellness programming. The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services and the Chicago Department of Public Health will also be contributing to the event.
“CPL’s YOUmedia program is essential to uplifting and empowering Chicago’s teens through innovation and creativity,” said Commissioner Andrea Telli. “YOUmedia invites all teens to be themselves, explore their hobbies, and prepare for their futures. The Teen Block Party is an opportunity to celebrate a decade of investing in our youth and to build upon that success for the future.”
The celebration will also recognize YOUmedia Champions—teens, alumni, partners, and staff—who have helped shape and impact the program over the last ten years. The Champion honorees also include the YOUmedia founders. Each of these honorees played a fundamental role in articulating a research-based creative learning concept into the physical space and program that has transformed thousands of teens’ lives. These founders include: Elyse Eidman-Aadahl, National Writing Project (University of California-Berkeley); Amy Eshleman, First Lady of Chicago; Mimi Ito, University of California-Irvine; Akili Lee, Northwestern University; Nicole Pinkard, Northwestern University; Katie Salen Tekinbas, University of California-Irvine; Julia Stasch, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and Connie Yowell, LRNG at Southern New Hampshire University.
Many of YOUmedia’s partner organizations will be in attendance and hosting additional exciting activities for festival attendees. Block Party partners include Adler Planetarium, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago West Community Music Center (CWCMC), CodeCreate, Contexture Media Network, Global Girls Inc., Level UP, Museum of Science and Industry, Shine On, Chicago!, SocialWorks, Steppenwolf Education, Teen Arts Pass (TAP), and Woods Education Enrichment Foundation (WEEF) Chicago.
YOUmedia began as a collaboration with Digital Youth Network based on research supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Since opening in 2009, YOUmedia has provided Chicago’s teens with spaces to socialize together, utilize a range of digital media resources, and receive support from caring, involved mentors.
Each of YOUmedia’s innovative spaces is designed to encourage teen engagement with core content areas, such as graphic design, photography, videography, music, STEM, and hands-on maker activities. In 2018, YOUmedia Chicago logged 50,485 visits from Chicago high school teens across 14 branches. Currently, YOUmedia spaces are located at 19 CPL branches across Chicago with plans to develop an additional 11 locations by the end of 2020, thanks in part to an investment made possible through generous support from the Chicago Public Library Foundation and Comcast Corporation.
To learn more about YOUmedia, visit chipublib.org/YOUmedia. Additional Block Party information and updates can be located at chipublib.org/blockparty as well as on YOUmedia’s Facebook (@youmediachicago), Twitter (@YOUmediaChicago), and Instagram (@youmediachicago) accounts.
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