Complicating the Narrative by ConTextos

This season we have been focusing on the theme of Resilience by checking in with participants in the various programs offered by ConTextos. One of the programs we launched just as the pandemic began to take hold was an online version of Authors Circle called Open Circle. In this episode, Bijou and Kelema, two of our youngest Open Circle participants, join Mariah and Tatiana to talk about the experience of writing with ConTextos during these Open Circle sessions. Open Circle is still open to all at 3PM on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays. For more information and to register for future Open Circle sessions, visit contextos.org/es/open-circle. We look forward to seeing you there! 

In our third season of Complicating the Narrative, ConTextos alumni Mariah and Tatiana are back to bring us stories of resilience. Each episode this season will explore resilience in the context of one of our ConTextos Authors Circle programs. In this episode Eugene, a published ConTextos Author and graduate of the IMAN Green Reentry program, joins Mariah, Tatiana, and Dimitri to talk about his involvement in ongoing alumni programming with ConTextos. Eugene is also a member of the founding cohort of Into a Black Beyond (https://contextos.org/IABB/), which launched this month. This episode opens with a poem by Tug, who is also a published ConTextos Author. Unfortunately, Tug lost his connection to our call after sharing his poem. We hope to have him back as a guest for future conversations.  Be sure to visit ConTextos.org for more information about ConTextos programs and our work in Chicago and El Salvador. 

In our third season of Complicating the Narrative, ConTextos alumni Mariah and Tatiana are back to bring us stories of resilience. Each episode this season explores resilience in the context of one of our ConTextos Authors Circle programs. In this episode, Jamelle, a ConTextos Author and participant in the IMAN Green Reentry program, joins Mariah, Tatiana, and Johnny Page to talk about his experiences with Authors Circle in 2020 as well as his writing and upcoming book of poetry. Check out His Story by Jamelle on the ConTextos YouTube channel ( https://youtu.be/yyO9tgv4XTk ) Watch Dear Chicago: The Men of IMAN Speak on the ConTextos YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0q-l4geBg4 ) Learn more about IMAN Green Reentry at https://www.imancentral.org/atlanta/green-reentry/

In our third season of Complicating the Narrative, ConTextos alumni Mariah and Tatiana are back to bring us stories of resilience. Each episode this season will explore resilience in the context of one of our ConTextos Authors Circle programs. In this episode Delshaun, a ConTextos Author and participant in the MAAFA Redemption Project, joins Mariah, Tatiana, and Dimitri to talk about his experiences with Authors Circle and life in Chicago. The MAAFA Redemption Project is a nine-month program focused on improving quality of life for at-risk young adult men through housing, employment, educational opportunities, and social services. Find out more about MAAFA Redemption Project at www.maafachicago.org and learn more about ConTextos' programs at Contextos.org/chicago/programs. 

In our third season of Complicating the Narrative, ConTextos alumni Mariah and Tatiana are back to bring us stories of resilience. Each episode this season will explore resilience in the context of one of our ConTextos Authors Circle programs.  We're kicking off this season with an episode that features Dear Chicago: Youth Telling Their Truths, a six-week program ConTextos developed in partnership with Chicago Public Schools in the Summer of 2020. Twenty CPS students met online daily with Authors Circle facilitators Dr. Moore and Dimitri to create video letters from themselves to Chicago. Check out one of those video letters by CPS student Michelle here. In this episode, Tatiana and Mariah (both former students of Dr. Moore) talk with Dr. Moore and Dimitri about the experience of working with young people as they explored and shared what their lives were like during a summer that was unprecedented in so many ways. 

In this episode Charles elaborates on his Chicago-Sun Times op-ed, in which he tells his story, describes the need for healing in his community, and proposes steps that can lead to solving the problems he identifies. 

In this episode student, educator, and Chicago native Kashif Johnson has a conversation with Dimitri about America's tumultuous soul-searching regarding race. Several recent events have brought the perpetually unresolved issue of racism in America to the forefront. In this episode we simply wanted to share our current thoughts on some of the issues that have bubbled to the surface for some, and remained a fact of everyday life for others. 

In this episode, Johnny Page, Charles, Darrius, and Dimitri discuss social distancing and its comparisons to lockdown in a jail or prison. In this conversation, they also share which aspects of this "new normal" they hope will continue after the period of social distancing ends. This episode opens with Blurs and Erases, a blog post written and read by Johnny. Find the full text of Johnny's blog post at contextos.org/chicago/blurs-and-erases/

In this episode, Zay, Dr. Moore, Charles, and Dimitri discuss their experiences with Black History month as students and beyond. In addition to discussing the history of the yearly celebration of the culture and contributions of African Americans, they talk about why it is important that all students receive an honest and complete presentation of our history.

In this episode Zay and Duke, two of our published ConTextos Authors, have a conversation with Johnny and Dimitri about gang affiliation. In this conversation we talk about what a gang is, how it is that young people may become involved in gangs, what it means to be a member of a gang, and whether or not it is possible to be affiliated with a gang without participating in all of the activities of that group.