BlackSpace Chicago
We localized the 14 principles of the Manifesto to build Black power and Black joy in Chicago.
Our Story
Chicago was the first Cousin to join BlackSpace, becoming part of the network in 2017. Inspired by the BlackSpace origin story at the second Black in Design Conference, the Chicago Cousins came together to build and connect. Over the years, they led a range of Black placemaking initiatives, including Jane’s Walks that celebrated and shared the histories of Chicago’s Black neighborhoods. Their work left a lasting imprint on the city’s cultural and spatial landscape, documenting and uplifting the stories, spaces, and experiences that shape Chicago’s Black communities.
Bronzeville Walking Tour
We explored the historic Bronzeville neighborhood, learned about the displacement at IIT, the disinvestment of Black-owned property on historic Martin Luther King Drive, and the Victory Monument on 35th & King that honors the 8th regiment of the Illinois National Guard, an African American Unit that served during WWI.
Past Organizers
Learn more about the folks who make BlackSpace Chicago possible.
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Armando Sullivan
he/him/hisCousinArmando is an equity-centered transit planner and geographer focused on empowering communities through mobility and spatial analysis. He is from Montgomery County, MD and earned his Masters in Urban Planning from Harvard University. He currently lives in Hyde Park, Chicago.
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Chandra Christmas-Rouse
she/herCousinChandra is an urban planner, advocate and artist. A background in community development and environmental justice informs her design approach of working with stakeholders in a participatory process to support capacity building, achieve place-based solutions & reimagine systems.
Interested in joining BlackSpace Chicago?
If you’re a Black urbanist, find out how you can be part of our community.
