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Help end Alzheimer’s with your purchase of a Wild Tripler Win ticket from the Illinois Lottery

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) impact people of every walk of life. In 2020, Illinois Lottery launched a new specialty Instant Lottery ticket called The End of Alzheimer’s Begins With Me, designating 100 percent of its profits to the Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter. To date, the Illinois Lottery has raised more than $3 million […]

In Motion: NAJWA Dance Corps preserve and celebrate African American heritage through dance

Spearheaded by dance pioneer Najwa I on Chicago’s west side in 1977 and officially incorporated in 1979, NAJWA Dance Corps has carved out a path for Black creatives and has inspired audiences with its dynamic performances featuring a mix of music and dance styles that celebrate African-American dance heritage and experience. Executive director Sheila Walker […]

In Motion: Muntu Dance Theatre celebrates the African diaspora through dance, music, and folklore

Muntu Dance Theatre is a Chicago-based West African dance company that’s beloved for its commitment to innovation, community, and culture. Their stage work centers the African and African American experience, but their message is universal. “We believe that there is merit in all cultures and that we should strive to celebrate our similarities instead of […]

In Motion: Move Me Soul invests in Chicago youth to uplift a rising generation of professional dancers

Since 2008, Chicago dance organization Move Me Soul has shaped the lives of hundreds of local teens through preprofessional dance training.  The company was born out of a dance elective course led by founder and artistic director Ayesha Jaco at Austin High School. Inspired by the success of that class, she adapted her teachings—which center […]

Nando’s gives away free meals at all U.S. restaurants

On July 18th, Nando’s celebrates Mandela Day. The South African restaurant gives customers free flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken in exchange for donations of back-to-school supplies On July 18, Nando’s PERi-PERi will honor its South African roots by celebrating Mandela Day, in recognition of the South African leader and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela. To commemorate Mandela’s fight […]

The Origin of Lil’ Salty

It started on a cold fall evening in 1952 When a boat transporting salt barreled down the Chicago River, right on cue. A storm was raging with astronomical rain As the boat’s crew approached the Elston dock, attempting to stay sane. They gathered their things, ready to leave A much needed break from the boat, […]

During Pride month and all year long, the Here to Hear You campaign supports Chicago organizations centering mental health

You may have heard medical experts and public health figures refer to the ongoing mental health crisis in the United States as “the second pandemic.” Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia were already commonplace in our complex, fast-paced world before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 triggered a monumental […]

Support Illinois organizations working to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic with your purchase of the Illinois Lottery’s Twisted Treasure ticket

In recognition of World AIDS Day in 2009, the Illinois Lottery and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) launched a new Instant Ticket to raise funds for the Quality of Life grants, which are distributed to organizations across the state that work in HIV/AIDS prevention education, and treatment. Since its inaugural year, sales from […]

In Motion: Joel Hall Dancers & Center uplift local artists and promote social change through urban jazz dance

In 1974, Chicago dancer and choreographer Joel Hall cofounded the Chicago City Theatre Company to amplify the creative talents and stories of some of the city’s most marginalized individuals. A Black, gay man and Cabrini-Green native, Hall’s mission was to carve out a safe space where dancers like himself could pursue concert dance. Today, the […]

Help support individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability with your purchase of a “BLACKJACK” Instant Ticket from the Illinois Lottery

In 2019 the Illinois Lottery launched a new Instant Ticket to raise money for agencies and organizations that support people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity throughout the State. The Illinois Lottery gives 100 percent of profits from the ticket to the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), which then utilizes funding for a grant program […]

In Motion: The Era Footwork Collective take footwork abroad while investing in the next generation of Chicago dance and music

“Footwork saves lives.”  Those three words comprise the mantra that the members of the Era Footwork Collective live by. The local group—also known as the Era Footwork Crew—consists of four dancers and two producers who helped pioneer Chicago Footwork, the Chicago-born electronic music genre and battle-dance styles known for their impressive speeds. “We’re products of […]