Brown Books & Paint Brushes

Brown Books & Paint Brushes At Brown Books and Paint brushes we hope to empower, develop, and educate young children- through ar

At Brown Books and Paint brushes we hope to empower, develop, and educate ALL young children- through art, literacy, social justice and civic engagement programming; pertaining to the African-American culture and healthy racial identity.

Today. Our children are not problems to fix.They are people to honor.To protect.To celebrate.Every child is beautiful. E...
04/16/2026

Today.
Our children are not problems to fix.
They are people to honor.
To protect.
To celebrate.

Every child is beautiful. Every mind is meaningful.
And that deserves space, not just in April, but every single day.

Join us for a night rooted in community, learning, and care.
Autism Awareness Dinner & Learn
April 16, 2026
5:45–7:15 PM
Morgan Park | Blue Door Neighborhood Center

This space was created by our friends at Blue Door Neighborhood Center, bringing families together with licensed professionals and special guests ready to hold space for your questions and wonderings.

Brown Books & Paintbrushes will be there with a dedicated children’s space, thoughtfully designed for comfort, sensory support, and play. We’ll have sensory materials, fidget tools, noise-canceling headphones, educator-supported activities, giveaways, and a free children’s library for families to take from.

Because every child deserves to be seen, supported, and celebrated fully.

Come be in community with us.

A Grownup’s Guide to Teaching Children Mutual Aid in Uncertain Times.Chicago families are living through deep uncertaint...
10/25/2025

A Grownup’s Guide to Teaching Children Mutual Aid in Uncertain Times.
Chicago families are living through deep uncertainty.
Some are being displaced.
Some are losing their benefits.
Some are living with the quiet fear of ICE, police stops, or kidnappings that make children hold tighter when leaving home.

Mutual aid is how we hold each other steady when systems fall short.

It’s the meal shared when groceries run low.
The text that says, “I’m outside if you need me.”
The neighbor who picks up someone else’s child when they CANT.

Our new guide, A Grownup’s Guide to Teaching Children Mutual Aid in Uncertain Times, was created for caregivers, educators, and neighbors who are raising children through instability and still teaching care.

BDNC℠ Goes Pink 💕This Friday, October 17 | 5:30–7:30 PMBlue Door Neighborhood Center – Morgan ParkWe’re bringing familie...
10/16/2025

BDNC℠ Goes Pink 💕
This Friday, October 17 | 5:30–7:30 PM
Blue Door Neighborhood Center – Morgan Park

We’re bringing families together to learn, move, and show love for those fighting breast cancer. Come dance, grab a pumpkin, wear your costume, and learn how we can all care for our bodies and our community.

Ahora en español ♥️Edna NV 🙏🏾Grateful for y’all -and for every child protector, educator, caregiver, and community membe...
10/05/2025

Ahora en español ♥️
Edna NV 🙏🏾
Grateful for y’all -and for every child protector, educator, caregiver, and community member who reached out.
Your messages reminded us why this work matters.

The guide: A Chicago Love Story for Our Children has been shared across classrooms and homes- Now it’s available in Spanish, with added at-home and classroom guidance to help families and teachers support every child through moments of fear, change, and belonging.

We see you. We thank you. We keep us safe.

See y’all soon! ✌🏾
10/04/2025

See y’all soon! ✌🏾

We keep us safe. Chicago’s children will not be invisible.Even as our city lives with the presence of ICE and braces for...
10/04/2025

We keep us safe.
Chicago’s children will not be invisible.
Even as our city lives with the presence of ICE and braces for the possible deployment of the National Guard, as seen in other cities -children are watching closely. They hear our tone before our words. They feel our fear before our explanations.

Families have reached out asking: what do we say to our children?

This guidance offers simple but powerful steps: what to say, how to affirm, and how to recognize when children are carrying more than they should.

Chicago’s children -immigrant, Black, Brown, and beyond -deserve more than survival. They deserve belonging, love, and safety as their birthright.

This year has been marked by uncertainty. Children have felt it-disrupted routines, anxious transitions, and adult worri...
08/22/2025

This year has been marked by uncertainty. Children have felt it-disrupted routines, anxious transitions, and adult worries that reach the classroom and the dinner table. Our response is clear: we will center their joy and their wellness.

In partnership with the Blue Door Neighborhood Center (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois), an anchor that has always centered wellness for families, we’re hosting the Kids Village: an intentional space for health, learning, dignity, play and JOY as students return to school.

Saturday, August 23, 2025 | 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Blue Door Neighborhood Center, 11840 S Marshfield Ave, Chicago, IL 60643

No-cost back-to-school health Check in's, dental checkups, stage performances, artmaking and games, FREE PLAY, art, community resources, and a free mental health and wellness library for children.
Free and open to all families.

We’re hosting a powerful series of Family Play & Stay Workshops centering Black families, culture, and healing—children ...
06/24/2025

We’re hosting a powerful series of Family Play & Stay Workshops centering Black families, culture, and healing—children are welcomed to stay, play, and engage while we workshop:

Reclaiming Our Roots: Black Homeschooling
A community-led conversation on liberatory education, legacy, and learning beyond the classroom.

Rhythm & Resilience: Drumming for Well-being
A hands-on workshop exploring how rhythm supports healing, regulation, and connection in Black children’s lives.

The Emotion Commotion: Supporting Social-Emotional Development at Home
Tools and culturally grounded strategies for nurturing emotional intelligence and resilience in our children.

See y’all soon! South Shore Chamber of Commerce - Chicago ✨
05/17/2025

See y’all soon! South Shore Chamber of Commerce - Chicago ✨

Rain can’t stop the joy — Black Joy in Bloom is happening TODAY from 1–5PM! 🌸🌈Bring the babies, the cousins, the neighbo...
04/19/2025

Rain can’t stop the joy — Black Joy in Bloom is happening TODAY from 1–5PM! 🌸🌈

Bring the babies, the cousins, the neighbors — and spend your Easter Eve with us as we celebrate Black futures, creativity, and community healing through hands-on fun for children and families. 💫

We’re LIVE at the inspiring — a national resource center for state and local reparations — where even the youngest minds are learning how to build, dream, and BLOOM.

Learn about powerful leaders like .joydegruy , , and — who are fighting for repair and justice for Black people — and doing it with love, care, and courage. We paired stunning children’s books and illustrations to help little ones understand repair through joy and play! 🥰

Art, music, FREE books from our libraries , block-building, and joy await.
ALL are welcome. FREE. FAMILY-FRIENDLY. FIERCE.

Let’s raise our voices, our visions, and our little ones — in the name of REPAIR.

Address

Hyde Park
Chicago, IL
60615

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Brown Books & Paint Brushes posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Brown Books & Paint Brushes:

Shortcuts

Share