Wild Yams Reading Circles feature Black women and nonbinary creatives leading informal discussion on short texts of their choosing by Black women centering important themes such as motherhood, rest, labor, self-care, and more, with the intention of using these discussions as a basis for growth, healing, and self-love. The objective of the Reading Circles is to reach into and uplift the knowledge and expertise of our own communities and engage in collective knowledge seeking and sharing, providing a space for accountability in exploring and learning.

For our second Reading Circle, we welcome producer, arts administrator, musician Barédu A.

Tea and light snacks will be served. Attendees may be asked to wear a mask when not actively eating and drinking. We will limit attendance to encourage in-depth discussion.

Wild Yams studios are on the second floor up a flight of stairs. For accessibility, we will be live-streamed to those who are not able to access the space due to physical or other restrictions. Please register and then email the organizer for livestream access.

This event is partially supported by a Together We Heal Creative Place grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events and the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Justice.

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About the hosts:

Barédu A. is a producer, and arts administrator from Washington, DC. Based in Chicago, she practices holding space for fellow musicians and creatives through music programming at Rebuild Foundation, and creating soundscapes through production and performance. When not programming, she spends a considerable time reading and dreaming at Lake Michigan.

A.Martinez (host/facilitator, she/her) is a poet, visual artist, mother, and organizer living in Chicago. Alyssa’s work is a practice of noticing, learning, and remembering. Rooted in the everyday, her work aims to be a, perhaps anxious, attempt to not forget the moments and important stories we carry as inhabitants of this Earth. Her work explores family, rituals, nature, and the body. Alyssa’s social practice involves participatory community gatherings including those for mothers in the arts. She also works as an arts administrator for music performance organizations. More info here.

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Wild Yams: Black Mothers Artist Residency is an art residency experience designed to support, uplift and encourage artist sustainability for Black mothers on the South Side of Chicago. This event is part of a series of events Soil and Soul: Together We Heal conceived and produced by THE cre.æ.tive ROOM and WILD YAMS in collaboration with Justice Hotel at 6018North to serve as a site of safety, creativity, community healing, through art, food, and intergenerational collaboration.

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Tags: A. Martinez, Barédu A, Chicago, Greater Grand Crossing, THE cre.æ.tive ROOM, WILD YAMS, Wild Yams Reading Circle: Barédu A., Wild Yams Reading Circles