Photo by Jasmin Cardenas.
Image: In Armstrong Park, Haji Healing Salon leads a Diasporic Dance experience. Aquil Charlton, Lawrence “Binkey” Tolefree, and Lional “Brother El” Freeman improvise in the next tent. Photo by Alfredo Romo.
Image: Ebere Agwuncha and Alex O’Neill guide youth as they use tools to improvisationally build a structure in Armstrong Park. Photo by Marya Spont-Lemus.
Image: At the Bronzeville Community Garden, Lawrence “Binkey” Tolefree improvises with various participants and passersby. This day’s events were offered in partnership with Build Bronzeville and Boxville’s Wednesday Markets. Photo by Alisha B Designs.
Image: Mobilize! team members offer programming on and near Oakwood Beach as part of Brother El’s Sandbox Symphony VI. Photo by Alisha B Designs.
Photo by Alisha B Designs.
Week of August 8th, 2021
"Mobilize! Creative Blocks, Collective Dreams" is in Kenwood/Oakland/Bronzeville
This summer, the Mobilize Creative Collaborative presents “Mobilize! Creative Blocks, Collective Dreams”: a series of weeklong community gatherings, happening outdoors in five neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and Southwest Sides, co-designed with a team of partner artists and partner organizers who are also rooted in these places. The Kenwood/Oakland/Bronzeville gathering is offered in partnership with North Kenwood-Oakland Community Advisory Council, Armstrong Park Council, Build Bronzeville, and Brother El’s Sandbox Symphony, with additional programming and support from Chicago Park District, Engage Bronzeville, Haji Healing Salon, and AB Designs.
Neighbors of ALL AGES are invited to FREE creative workshops, critical conversations, and playful explorations focused around justice and your dreams for your communities. With participatory music, art, and theater activities, live performances, skill-sharing, and more, we hope to amplify and connect existing local efforts, as well as to cultivate spaces that center imagination, joy, and people-led solutions.
Locations
Armstrong (Lillian Hardin) Park (4433 S. St. Lawrence Ave.)
Bronzeville Community Garden (323 E. 51st St.)
Oakwood Beach (4100 S. Lake Shore Dr.)
Kenwood/Oakland/Bronzeville Schedule
Events are drop-in (participants are welcomed to come and go throughout), unless noted otherwise (for starred* events, please try to be there for the beginning). All workshop materials are provided.
Monday, August 9th, from 3-7pm
At Armstrong Park (4433 S. St. Lawrence Ave.)
Tuesday, August 10th, from 3-7pm
At Armstrong (Lillian Hardin) Park (4433 S. St. Lawrence Ave.)
Wednesday, August 11th, from 4-7pm
At Bronzeville Community Garden (323 E. 51st St.), as part of Build Bronzeville’s Boxville Wednesday Markets
Thursday, August 19th, from 3-7pm
At Armstrong (Lillian Hardin) Park (4433 S. St. Lawrence Ave.)
Saturday, August 14th, from 2-8pm
At Oakwood Beach (4100 S. Lake Shore Dr.), as part of Brother El’s Sandbox Symphony VI
Accessibility
Details about site/event accessibility coming soon. Contact us through www.mobilizecreative.com with any questions or requests about access needs/accommodations.
Meet the Kenwood/Oakland/Bronzeville Team
Aquil Charlton | Music Producer. Maker. Multimedia & Participatory Artist.
Founder of the Mobile Music Box and founding member of Mobilize Creative Collaborative, Aquil “AQ” Charlton (he/him pronouns) uses imagination, music, and making to engage people and communities in play. Rooted in hip hop and black rhythmic traditions, the dynamically talented AQ is a block party in the flesh: He can rap while programming beats and improvise a hook with the audience as they play along on instruments they made together by hand. Aquil is an accomplished performer, DJ, and producer who has participated in tours, cultural exchanges, and residencies as far from home as Pakistan and Moscow. He uses analog electronics, synths, samples, and natural recordings to create otherworldly environments and simple grooves for his witty, cerebral songwriting. He also performs live improvisations and collaborates with other musicians and visual artists to create immersive experiences. A Kenwood, Chicago resident, Aquil is a teaching artist in his community and father to a young son.
IG | @mobilemusicbox @mraquil
Binkey | Singer, Writer, Poet.
Binkey can do it all. He sings, writes and recites poetry, freestyles, writes plays and skits, acts and host open mic sets all over the world. Binkey is an excellent writer and his comedic timing cannot be matched. He can host anything from poetry sets to bar mitzvahs (and he has too!!)
Binkey accents his poetry with captivating lyrics and soul-filled melodies. His passion for performance and seemingly endless energy are fueled through his love for teaching, learning, mentoring and entertaining.
Some of the accomplishments that Binkey has been awarded include: 2010 MGD Freestyle Champion, BET New Face Finalist, Jokes and Notes Stand-up Winner, Mixtape Mondays Rap Battle Champion, Creator of Just-Us Improv, Lead vocalists for bands Deep Fayed & Fly By Pants, Actor in numerous plays at Chicago Theatre, DuSable Museum & Gate Theatre in ChiangMai, Thailand, winner at Showtime at the Apollo Theater in New York.
Binkey now back in Chicago from SE Asia where he’d created a community of artist who come to share their gifts with the world at his home Healing House every Friday. This is only the beginning for him.
IG | @binkey1
Jasmine A Barber | Tarot Reader + Spiritual Practitioner, Rapper, Multidisciplinary Artist, Educator, Curator, and Host/Speaker
Jasmine A Barber, also known as the rapper J Bambii, is an artist, educator, tarot reader, and cartoon-lover from the Southside of Chicago. She is the founder and creator of The Brown Skin Lady Show & the community healing initiative called “Come Together”. Jasmine has also released a tape called “RETROGRADE” under her alias. She is currently working on another body of music & more community focused events.
IG | @oprah_gucci , Website | https://linktr.ee/brownskinladyshow
Lional “Brother El” Freeman | Spontaneous Composer, Multidisciplinary Creative and Educator (Motivational Technologist)
Lional “Brother El” Freeman is a spontaneous composer, multidisciplinary creative, and educator who uses music and visual arts to express ideas while connecting people to a higher plane of consciousness. Raised in the hip hop aesthetic and DIY movement, he constantly looks to push the boundaries of music as an expert in the Live PA field. Formally trained as an Audio Engineer and Graphic Designer, he has acquired many different skills running The Beat Bank, an independent record label. His sets often include using sequencers, synthesizers, drum machines, and samplers to create fully improvised and live beat-making. As an educator, Brother El has developed outreach methods that teach multiple subjects to youth audiences centered around electronic music, science, and wellness. Students gain not only musical knowledge and abilities, they learn firsthand the importance of working together as a team, self-discipline, personal responsibility, confidence, and the value of commitment.
IG | @BrotherEl , Website | www.thebeatbank.net
