The Chicago River holds and weaves together a prism of stories. Wherever you touch it, you touch layers and layers of history, ecology, culture, and art. The goal of this project is to gather folks from different communities to experience the river in this holographic way, as a holder of memory, as a storyteller.

Teresa and Natasha Mijares (poet and visual artist) will run a series of four experiences this summer—three on kayaks and one on the shore. Each will take place on a different segment of the Chicago River. During this time, participants will engage with and learn from community activists, artists, historians, and ecologists about that specific site and the narratives it holds. The experiences will be interactive and will include creating art and engaging in community science. We hope that participants will build community, share their own stories, and leave with a richer understanding of the ways the river connects all things.