An evening shaped by the rhythm of Chicago’s Black and brown queer creative life. This happy hour gathers people who build queer culture on the South Side—artists, curators, space-makers, DJs, and culture workers of all kinds.

Enjoy a DJ set, live music, light bites, and drinks along with resource swapping, game lounge, surprising introductions, and the kind of conversations that spark new work. Rooted in the spirit of Never So Free: Queer Black Art & Assembly in Chicago, the gathering celebrates the rich lineage of queer arts sites, the current landscape of creative spaces, and the future destinations being imagined right now.

We’ve got Chicago powerhouse Anna DeShawn leading the game lounge, soulful sounds from Manasseh, and DJ CQQCHIFRUIT keeping the night moving on the decks.

Part social mixer, part creative recharge, this happy hour extends the Never So Free project’s mission: honoring the legacy and future of Black and brown queer art and assembly on the South Side

FEATURING:
Anna DeShawn (pronouns anything respectful) is a multi-award and Ambie award winning podcast producer and host. She is also a Chicago-born social entrepreneur who builds streaming platforms which center & celebrate BIPOC & QTPOC creatives. Media has always been her passion and in 2009 she turned that passion into a reality when she founded E3 Radio, an online radio station playing Queer music & reporting on Queer news with an intersectional lens. She expanded her media reach when she co-founded The Qube, a podcast production company and curated platform to discover the best music & podcasts by BIPOC & QTPOC creatives. Most recently, Anna was announced as part of the Chicago LGBTQ Hall of Fame 2023 induction cohort. Anna is determined to ride media into its next era by utilizing digital media streams to tell the stories and play the music that deserves to be heard.

Chicago native Manasseh (he/him) has become the go-to-guy for all things Psychedelic Soul! While lending his sound and talents to artists local and beyond, he has managed to release several projects and be featured by WTTW, MCA, Museum Of Science and Industry, AudioTree, and most recently Vócalo for his style! He was also nominated for Best R&B Artist by Chicago Reader in 2023. With a love for artistic expression, Manasseh approaches music with reverence, powered by the memories of singing at home with his mother and in church. Manasseh is sure to excite and evoke emotion, whether listening to his projects or live performances.

Jacquelyn Carmen Guerrero (CQQCHIFRUIT) is an interdisciplinary artist and DJ of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent, originally from Miami, FL. Jacquelyn holds a BA in Communication from Northwestern University, with a focus on theatre and dance, and is currently the Finance & Operations Manager at Hyde Park Art Center. As a DJ performing in queer and underground nightlife since 2010, Cqqchifruit’s sound incorporates elements from their Miami roots, Chicago residence, and global interest, amplifying tribal house, hypnotic trance, and banging bass. They are a cofounder of TRQPITECA, a Chicago-based platform for underground dance music and queer artists, and DJ duo with their partner La Spacer since 2015. TRQPITECA’s highlights includes a 2023 guest residency at smartbar Chicago, sound design for Free Street Theatre, and the TRQPITECA.FM show on Lumpen Radio. More at @cqqchifruit.

Never So Free: Black Queer Art + Assembly is funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

All APL programs are free and open to the public. To help us continue to provide these programs and build a hub for arts & culture on the South Side, we appreciate donations of all sizes. Your support sustains the rich ecosystem of artists that make the Arts Block so vibrant. To make a donation, please visit our giving page.

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Tags: Anna Deshawn, Chicago, CQQCHIFRUIT, Green Line Performing Arts Center, Hyde Park, Jacquelyn Carmen Guerrero, Manasseh, Never So Free: Artists + Space Makers Mixer