The 4 best community and culture events in Chicago this week

The 4 best community and culture events in Chicago this weekPhoto: Alessia Cocconi/Unsplash
Hoodline
Published on February 11, 2019

Looking to get out into the community this week?

From an interactive talk on Black Wellness to a free screening of a 2018 Sundance Film winner, there's plenty to do when it comes to community and cultural events coming up in Chicago this week. Read on for a rundown.

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2nd Wednesday Lecture: The Nature of Black Wellness

If you're into health, wellness and the outdoors, celebrate Black History Month this Wednesday with local author Kim Ruffin. The certified nature and forest therapy guide, who also teaches at Roosevelt University, will discuss the role of nature in the lives of African Americans. Open to the public. 

When: Wednesday, Feb. 13, 6-7:30 p.m.
Where: Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave.
Price: Free

Click here for more details, and to register

Black Childhood & Criminalization in America

Meet two local authors and university professors — Tera Eva Agyepong and Elliott Gorn — at the Newberry Library for a lecture and book signing. They will discuss "the tangled history of black children and America's criminal justice system," including the lasting impact of Emmet Till's story, according to the library's website. 

When: Wednesday, Feb. 13, 6-7 p.m.
Where: Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St.
Price: Free

Click here for more details, and to register

Going Astray: Morality and Music in Verdi's La Traviata

If you're opera lover, head over to the Italian Cultural Institute for a Thursday discussion of the real-life figure — French courtesan Marie Duplessis — who inspired the heroine in Verdi's La Traviata. Get the full scoop with Northwestern musicologist Jesse Rosenberg before Lyric Opera's production opens on Saturday, Feb. 16. 

When: Thursday, Feb. 14, 6-8 p.m.
Where: Italian Cultural Institute, 500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1450
Price: Free

Click here for more details, and to register

FREE Screening and Discussion - Minding The Gap

This Saturday, catch a free screening of "Minding the Gap," which won an award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, at the Chicago Cultural Center. Shot in and around Rockford, filmmaker Bing Liu zooms in on the lives of his two skateboarder friends — one is dealing with teen fatherhood and the other is struggling with his father's death and racial identity. 

When: Saturday, Feb. 16, 2-4 p.m.
Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Price: Free

Click here for more details, and to register