Our Stories

Hello! My name is Ryan, and I am a first year graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the arts administration and policy program. I am originally from South Carolina and have a degree in music performance. I’m interested in the Homan Square Story Share because it is such a wonderful intersection of meaningful public engagement and arts programming. It is an honest way to get to know people in a community and to allow that experience to reflect in your own art process. I believe there is no greater calling for the whole of humanity than the act of sharing—our stories, our resources, and our time. This project is about getting to glimpse into someone else’s truth by exploring what matters to them. It is an honor whenever anyone chooses to share their story with us. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this experience!

Hi there, I'm Stephanie. I'm one of two members of be•spoke projects, an artist collective that is managing the Homan Square Story Share with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I am thrilled to be spending time in Homan Square and North Lawndale, listening to stories that will be returned to the community as both art and exhibitions, as well as catalysts for action, improvement, and new programming that serves the creative needs of the area. I am a recent graduate of the SAIC's Arts Administration and Policy master's program, with an art history undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. I grew up in Chicago's northern suburbs and currently live in the city. I look forward to hearing your story!

Hi! I'm Zoe - a first year graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, pursuing a double Masters in Arts Administration and Policy and Art History. I moved here from Houston, Texas this past August (2014), so I'm incredibly thrilled to be learning about this new city by getting to know Homan Square and North Lawndale residents. I am looking forward to meeting people from across the community and recording your stories about what you love (or don't love!) about living in this neighborhood. I hope this project will bring people together through shared histories and stories, and that we can work together to design some great arts programing for the Homan Square Tower! 

Hey! My name is Tocarra and I am THRILLED to be working on this project with the most amazing team. I am the other half of the storytelling collective be•spoke projects. I received my Masters Degree in Arts Administration and Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and hold an undergraduate degree in art history from Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. Homan Square and North Lawndale have a wealth of history, personality and exciting narrative that we can't wait to share with a larger audience. I'm looking forward to crafting a powerful audio piece and using it as a catalyst to think about other creative endeavors perfect for the community. 

Hiya! My name is Raquel and I am a first year graduate student in the Arts Administration and Policy program at SAIC. I am a new Chicago resident, originally hailing from the Bay Area, and am ecstatic to be working with the Homan Square community. My passion for community engagement drew me to this project, and I am thrilled to learn more about Homan Square and North Lawndale community through the Story Share initiative. I hope that through this project, we can collect the oral history of the community together and find what type of programming would best suit North Lawndale. Our team is thrilled to be here, and hope you will come over and share your story!