Roots & Routes Initiative

12/01/2025

Happy first big snow of the season from Roots & Routes! Did you know that the Field Museum provides free field guides from around the world? Create some winter magic with this one made with photo archives of snowflakes. Which one is your favorite?

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来自 Roots & Routes 的问候，祝您冬日第一场大雪快乐！您知道菲尔德博物馆提供来自世界各地的免费野外指南吗？这本指南由雪花照片档案制作而成，带您感受冬日的奇妙。您最喜欢哪一张呢？

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¡Feliz primera gran nevada de la temporada desde Roots & Routes! ¿Sabías que el Museo Field ofrece guías de campo gratuitas de todo el mundo? Crea un poco de magia invernal con esta guía, hecha con archivos fotográficos de copos de nieve. ¿Cuál es tu favorita?

https://science.fieldmuseum.org/fieldguides

12/01/2025

We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of a beloved museum supporter and friend, Ms. Mabel Menard, in late October.

Mabel was a dedicated member of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC) for many years, first serving as the Executive Director of CAMOC from 2017-2018, then as Board Vice President of the Chinatown Museum Foundation (CMF) in 2018-2019, and returning to serve as Interim Executive Director for a year in 2022.

Most recently, she worked for the Chinese Mutual Aid Association as Director of Administration and as the President of the OCA - Greater Chicago Chapter. Early in her professional career, she joined Adapt Illinois for over ten years working in the field of mental health. Mabel believed in the power of education, holding advanced degrees in Psychology, Business, and Human Resources, and serving as faculty member and college chair for the University of Phoenix.

Mabel was a strong advocate of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and a compassionate voice for all disadvantaged immigrants and will be profoundly missed by all. May she rest in peace. We extend our sincerest condolences to her family. Memorial services will be announced soon.

11/01/2025

La Monarca Resiliente Nunca Muere: The Resilient Monarch Never Dies 🦋

Día de los Mu***os is a time to reconnect with our ancestors and to honor their strength, love, and the paths they paved for us. This year, La Ronda partners united around the theme: “La Monarca Resiliente Nunca Muere” (The Resilient Monarch Never Dies).

Within the monarch butterfly lives an enduring survival instinct to migrate thousands of miles on a journey that spans across borders, generations, and lifetimes. As a profound symbol of endurance and transformation, the monarch teaches us that even through storms, loss, and injustices, life persists.

The monarch reminds us that just as our ancestors carried out "la lucha" (the fight) for us to be here today, that same resilience lives on within us. Our resilience reminds us that we are here, the monarch is here, and our ancestors are here, guiding us toward a more just and harmonious world for both people and nature. 🦋

10/27/2025

Looking for ways to celebrate Día de los Mu***os this week? Join our partners at the UIC Latino Cultural Center for their series of events starting tomorrow!

🦋💀🎨 Dia de los Mu***os Fall 2025: Honoring the Legacy of Political Activism and the Arts 🎭🦋💀

🔥 Presented by the UIC Latino Cultural Center

🎭 All events will be held in-person at the UIC Latino Cultural Center, Lecture Center B2.

Join us for our following events!

🕯️ Communal Altar Installation
When: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Time: 1pm-3pm

🐛 UIC Heritage Garden Harvest Festival: Remembrance
When: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Time: 12pm-2pm

🎼 Music Performance and Ritual
When: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Time: 5:30pm-7pm

🎤 Noche de Poetas: Student Open Mic Night
When: Thursday, October 30, 2025
Time: 5:30pm-7pm

🎉 All audiences are welcome. For more information or to arrange accommodations, contact the LCC at [email protected] or call 312-996-3095.

For more information about these events, please visit: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPe_K9gkcOR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

LCC Public Programs: https://latinocultural.uic.edu/events/dia-de-los-muertos-2025/

10/24/2025

Standing Together in Community and Solidarity

Since 2017, Día de los Mu***os at La Ronda Parakata Gathering Space has been a collective space of remembrance and resilience to honor ancestors and celebrate life nurturing one another.

After thoughtful reflection with our La Ronda partners, we have made the difficult decision to pause this year’s celebration to prioritize the safety, dignity, and well-being of our communities.

We are deeply concerned about the growing climate of fear, violence, and intimidation affecting diverse communities across Chicago. Now more than ever, we stand together in solidarity.

We remain united in the belief that nature holds the power to animate our diverse cultural traditions and to sustain our shared humanity.

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Juntos, Unidos en Comunidad y Solidaridad

Desde 2017, la celebración del Día de los Mu***os en el Espacio de Encuentro La Ronda Parakata, ha sido un lugar colectivo de memoria y resiliencia para honrar a nuestros antepasados y celebrar la vida, acompañándonos unos a otros.

Después de una cuidadosa reflexión con nuestros socios y aliados de La Ronda, hemos tomado la difícil decisión de hacer una pausa en la celebración de este año para priorizar la seguridad, la dignidad y el bienestar de nuestras comunidades.

Nos preocupa profundamente la creciente ola de miedo, violencia e intimidación que afecta a diversas comunidades en todo Chicago. Ahora más que nunca, nos mantenemos unidos en solidaridad.

Continuamos firmes con la convicción de que la naturaleza tiene el poder de alimentar nuestras diversas tradiciones culturales y de sostener nuestro sentido compartido de humanidad.

10/14/2025

In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Roots & Routes network reminds you that the Burnham Wildlife Corridor exists on stolen Potawatomi land. The Corridor rests on lakefill, land that was created by dumping materials and waste into the lake, causing new land to develop on the lakebed. This directly violated the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, which forced indigenous people to cede their land up to the lakeshore.

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians sued the City of Chicago for ownership of multiple lakefront properties in the 1917 Supreme Court case Williams v. Chicago. The Supreme Court sided with Chicago. As late as the 1980s, the City of Chicago and surrounding entities continued to steal Potawatomi land through lakefill projects.

For more information about the history of treaty violations via lakefill, and community actions that address it, take a look at JeeYeun Lee’s 2021 performance art piece “Whose Lake Front.”

​In 1914, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians sued Chicago for land along the lakefront. As co-signers of the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, they had been forced to give up their land in Illinois up to the shore of Lake Michigan. Since then, the city had created land beyond the shore, including Street...

10/02/2025

This week in particular the Roots & Routes network honors Jane Goodall and the lasting impact she made on conservation. Fly high, Dr. Goodall

09/17/2025

Come to Sankofa for the Earth this Sunday, September 21, for the second annual Earth Jam! The family-friendly event will feature a libations ceremony and story performed by Mama Edie, a renowned multi-lingual performance artist. Participants can also expect tasty treats, live music led by Drummers of Chi-Village, and additional activities designed to foster community and creativity, including instrument-making with Mobile Music Box.

09/12/2025

The end of summer means that spider season is among us!

According to the Forest Preserve of Will County, spiders in the region reach full maturity in the fall. This means that many are fully grown and able to spin webs, making them more noticeable to the human eye. Additionally, female spiders are in a hurry to lay their eggs before the first frost. Once spring arrives, their eggs will hatch and the life cycle will repeat.

If you are a spider fanatic, check out the Field Museum’s Common Spiders of the Chicago Region Field Guide! How many can you find in the Burnham Wildlife Corridor?

09/02/2025

Check out the newest blog post on Gatheringspaces.org and get an inside look into Bronzeville Neighborhood Farm!

Director of Bronzeville Neighborhood Farm, Mrs. Roz Owens, illustrated her impact on the organization as she wraps up her fifth season in charge.

08/19/2025

We love our intern, Eliette!

Eliette Soler
Keller Science Action Center, Field Museum

As a part of the Roots & Routes Initiative team, I am focused on communications with the public and across the network of artists and community organizations that contribute to the Gathering Spaces. My primary responsibility thus far has been to familiarize myself with the structure of the Roots & Routes network and establish relationships with partners. Further, I am assisting with event planning. This includes developing a task manager using Google Sheets which organizes task delegation, budget tracking, and scheduling day-of activities and volunteer roles. My objective for the summer is to create a content schedule that the team can follow throughout the year. This includes conducting interviews and research to feature in blog posts, newsletters, Facebook Posts, and other means of communication. I have been asked to manage various administrative tasks as well such as updating the Roots & Routes website using Squarespace and developing an information storage system for maintaining the partner contact list in Google Sheets, which will accompany the team's use of Constant Contact software.

08/15/2025

Art and culture oriented non-profits whose 2025 federal grants have been terminated are eligible to apply for the DCASE Arts Relief Fund. Applications are due on Wednesday, August 20! Click on the link for more details.

The DCASE Arts Relief Fund aims to support arts and culture organizations impacted by recent federal funding cuts through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).