Summer Activation 2019 #3 (August)

On Saturday, August 31st, we held our third public activation for Process(ing) Transformation – this was a day full of action! Our creative community keeps growing activation after activation, and the groups are in hands-on mode to keep advancing projects. As usual, we start connecting through a group circle, meeting now folks and where everyone gives an update of their projects.

In this activation, we had Eddie White "Edo"joining us – visual artist, entrepreneur and co-founder of BeCreative, a design and branding company located in Boxville Marketplace (Bronzeville), a couple of blocks away from Overton school. Eddie has been working with us to create our signature t-shirts and brought his press machine to engage our community in stamping tote bags.

Open Air Moment team (James, Ke'shon and Mike) worked on wood frames for the hallway – lots of measuring and cutting to start giving shape to this installation.

Climate and Cultural Resilience team (Cassandra Rice/Site Design, Anna Wolf/CNT) presented some updates about the community rain garden project that is planned for the parking area on Prairie Avenue side. The main idea of this demonstration project is to increate stormwater management capacity and increase permeable surfaces.

"Through this program, Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) works with local community partners and stakeholders to install complementary, site-scale green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) and public art near transit stations to support these areas in becoming destinations for local economic and community development. Both the GSI and public art installations are collaboratively-designed and, where possible, locally-made, to increase the sense of community ownership of the projects."

After a good work session, the group went for a walk to the Washington Park Sunflower City project, just a few blocks from Overton (5345 S. Prairie Ave).

Mauricio and Sophia Forero did some scouting of their classroom (103) located on the first floor and Southeast corner of the building, and shared some sketches and prototypes for their project titled Schlepp.

Sandy Steinbrecher shared the design of the board for Overton Stories project that will be printed at larger scale and installed on the fence on Indiana Avenue.

Lieutenant Norals IV has been working in the set up for Chalk about Humanity, and thinking of site-specific activation of a classroom in the first floor as part of this life-size immersive game.

Brininstool + Lynch team brought a digitally fabricated prototype of their installation titled The Journey – their classroom is also located in the first floor (102) and Northeast corner of the building. This installation is being fabricated off-site, using CNC technology due to the multiple amount of pieces that are needed for this assembly.