| Chicago Freedom School E-News |
Fall
2008
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Greetings!
The weather is a little cooler, but things haven't slowed down at CFS. The 2008 Freedom Fellows are setting personal action goals, getting busy in their communities and starting new projects within CFS. We are also excited to have alumni from the 2007 year still active and a part of the newly created Youth Leadership Board. The staff has been busy this election season educating Chicago youth about the history of freedom schools and its connection to voting rights. And all of us are getting excited about meeting the great Mavis Staples on December 5th! As 2008 comes to a close, I often reflect
on how fortunate CFS has been to have had the support of so many donors,
volunteers, foundations, and friends since the beginning. This year
has been amazing as we had the help of over 40 volunteers, support from
10 foundations and countless individual donors. On behalf of the Board of Directors
and staff, I thank all of you for your continued support of our work to empower youth, fight oppression and honor the past.
In peace and solidarity,
PS - Encourage your friends to join our mailing list HERE!
(Pictured: Desiree, Shamone, Jose and Lizzy at the summer retreat.)
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CFS Takes the History of Voting to Chicago Schools
This fall the Chicago Freedom School facilitated 32 workshops in 14 schools and community organizations on the history of voting and voter disenfranchisement. The history of freedom schools is closely tied to this topic, as the original freedom schools were used as base camps for voting rights organizing in 1964 Mississippi. The workshops featured:
- a timeline of voting rights legislation
- the campaign for African American voting rights led by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during 1964 Freedom Summer and
- the controversies surrounding Florida and Ohio elections in 2000 and 2004, respectively, and
- an examination of who is currently left out of the process.
The voting workshops reached more than 700 youth ages 12 - 19. CFS is grateful to all of the educators and students who took time to explore this topic during this historic election year.
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CFS Offers Trainings for
Building a Movement
CFS now offers training sessions on topics including movement history, how to create sound and meaningful intergenerational space, leadership development, issue development, how to create community-based social change, racism/white supremacy/white privilege, classism, and youth-led social change.
Individual training sessions and modules can be assembled into a variety of training programs to fit the specific needs of any organization. CFS charges a fee for trainings on a sliding scale.
To schedule a training or for more information about CFS trainings, contact Alex Poeter, CFS Director of Organizing, at 312.435.1201 or you can email him at alexpoeter@gmail.com.
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Jacky Luna Joins CFS Staff
MSW Intern has committed a year of service to CFS.
CFS is happy to have Jacky Luna working with us this year as a program and outreach intern. Jacky is an activist born and raised in the Southwest side
of Chicago. She graduated from DePaul University with a B.A. in
Psychology and a minor in Latin American and Latino/a Studies.
Currently, she has begun her second year of the graduate program at the
University of Illinois at Chicago-Jane Addams College of Social Work.
Jacky sees her work at CFS as an integral part of her development as a social
justice leader. We are lucky to benefit from her valuable contributions and wonderful spirit.
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Thanks to the 2008 CFS Supporters!
Art and Social Change Funding Circle Blue Cross Blue Shield FoundationChicago Sun-Times Charity TrustCME FoundationGirl's Best Friend Foundation Google GrantsIllinois Humanities Council Leo S. Guthman Fund Polk Bros. Foundation Woods Fund of Chicagoand the MANY individuals who have contributed generously to youth-led social change in Chicago!Click HERE to donate to the Chicago Freedom School. |
Need an Accountant?
Imi Rashid
 Imi Rashid, who works with CFS, Women and Girls CAN and other non-profits, is a certified public accountant dedicated to serving individuals, groups and communities that are actively in the business of creating change through art, grassroots organizing, social justice activism and anti-oppression work.
Contact info: Imi Rashid, CPA, 773.329.0112, www.imirashid.com
(Imi is also volunteering for CFS as a graphic designer. Many thanks to Imi for all of her incredible work.)
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Freedom Fellow Spotlights
Hector Nava, Class of 2008
Hector Nava is a junior at Kelly High School. Since he finished the CFS Summer Leadership Institute in August, Hector has been extremely active addressing a number of social justice issues. Fed up from hearing how the word "gay" was used as an insult by youth at his school, Hector worked with the Gay/Straight Alliance to create a video to educate his peers and challenge them to stop using homophobic language. Hector has also been recognized as a featured user on WBEZ's Vocalo.org and had his voice featured on the radio several times in the past months. Other issues of interest to Hector include military recruitment tactics in schools, animal cruelty, and the high school dropout rate. Check out Hector's vocalo.org profile HERE.
Shemika Cookbey, Class of 2007
Shemika Cookbey is a senior at North Lawndale College Prep High School. In the summer of 2007, Shemika took courses in health and performing arts at CFS. She completed the Freedom Fellowship in May 2008 and has remained active with CFS as a member of the Youth Leadership Board. This past summer Shemika worked with the Umoja Corporation on a video project documenting the effects of tax policies on the North Lawndale community. Currently, she is an active volunteer for the Barack Obama Presidential Campaign. Shemika hopes to become a civil rights attorney and remain active in her community throughout her life.
CFS is proud of Hector and Shemika, two Freedom Fellows who are making a difference every day.
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Spend an Evening With
Mavis Staples
 Friday, December 5, 2008
7 - 10 pm
Support CFS and spend an evening with gospel and R & B recording star and activist, Mavis Staples. Ms. Staples, who recorded with her family's band, the Staples Singers, and as a solo artist is best known for the hit songs "I'll Take You There" and "Let's Do It Again." Ms. Staples will share her experiences in the Civil Rights Movement though song for the CFS annual fundraiser. Tickets are available HERE.
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Volunteers ROCK!
Mariana Williams, Fundraising
For the past year, Mariana has served as a volunteer for the CFS as a member of the fundraising committee and as a mentor for a Freedom Fellow. She has been a tremendous asset, giving much of her personal time to CFS projects and intitiatives. Active in the Chicago community, Mariana is also affiliated with Mahdi Theatre Company and Hands Off Assata. Mariana currently works at Altair Advisers as a Client Administrator, but the performing arts have always been her passion. Her long term goal is to open a fine arts school for disadvantaged youth. "My pursuit is to better the world around me and make a
difference. I have felt this since childhood and it does not end with
me, everyone has to try and do their part."
CFS would also like to recognize Renisha Campbell, Manisha Paralikar, Wendy Vendel and Pam Smith for the many hours they, too, have donated to the fundraising committee in the past year.
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"FREE MINDS, FREE PEOPLE"
Education for Liberation Conference
Houston, TX - June 25 - 28, 2009
Save the date! The next "Free Minds, Free People" conference will take place in Houston, Texas from Thursday, June 25 to Sunday, June 28, 2009. This event will bring together nearly 500 teachers, community-based educators, academics and high school and college students from all over the country who take part in dozens of workshops, share best practices and participate in collective movement building activities. Read more here about the Education for Liberation Network and the 2007 conference.
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Support the Chicago Freedom School
Please consider the Chicago Freedom School as one of your priorities for charitable giving.
You may donate online or mail in your contribution with the form on our website.
Your contributions are fully tax deductible under the
Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) code.
Thank you for your support!
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Check out the CFS Website!
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The calendar page and the announcement section give details about all upcoming events and opportunities.
On the WHO ARE WE page, all of the 2008 Freedom Fellows' names are linked to their Vocalo.org profiles which feature text, audio, photo and video postings about their
identity and each step of their action plans. Listen to Vocalo at 89.5 FM! You might hear a Freedom Fellow's voice!
And of course you can always go to the SUPPORT page and donate!www.chicagofreedomschool.org
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Our Mission
The Chicago Freedom School provides a space where young people and
adult allies can study the work of past movements, deepen their
understanding of current social problems, build new coalitions and
develop strategies for change. We support new generations of critical
and independent thinking young people who use their unique experiences
and
power to create a just world.
La Escuela de Liberacion de Chicago prove un espacio donde gente
joven y adultos aliados puedan estudiar el trabajo de movimientos
sociales pasados, profundizar su entendimiento de problemas sociales
presentes, y puedan crear nuevas coaliciones y construir estrategias
nuevas por el cambio. Nosotros apollamos a generaciones nuevas de
personas que piensan de manera critica e independiente, y quienes usan
sus experiencias y poder unico para crear un mundo justo.
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CHICAGO FREEDOM SCHOOL
CENTER FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
719 S. State St
Suite 3N
Chicago, IL 60605
phone: 312.435.1201
fax: 312.435.1203
info@chicagofreedomschool.org
www.chicagofreedomschool.org
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