Global Activism Expo 2012

Derived from WBEZ's Global Activism Series hosted by Worldview’s Jerome McDonnell, the Global Activism Expo has become our largest event of the year and we are thrilled to again present this remarkable celebration – complete with music & food – hosted this year by the UIC Social Justice Initiative.

With over 3,000 in attendance last Spring, this event gathers literally hundreds of Chicago-area global activists each providing ways you can immediately get involved and join their efforts.

Doors open at NOON on Saturday and stay open until 6 pm; it’s FREE – so bring your classes, your children, your neighbors, your friends and family.

Representing work taking place in over 100 countries, the services they provide range from teaching neonatal resuscitation in Tanzania to building libraries in Haiti, assisting survivors of sexual violence in Congo to helping victims of human trafficking in Vietnam, to shipping bicycles, shoes, backpacks, books, medicines, and even bridges to people all over the world. In addition to learning about these incredible organizations, event attendees will also have the unique opportunity to attend presentations, network with other Chicagoans interested in this work, as well as shop for interesting art, fair-trade jewelry and apparel (where proceeds go to fund organizational efforts).

2012 Participating organizations will include:
AACTION Autism
Aid Africa's Children
AFSC-Chicago
Architecture for Humanity - Chicago
Art Creation Foundation for Children
ART WORKS Projects
Asha For Education
Blind Foundation for India (BFI)
Bookwallah Organization
BOSCO, Inc.
buildOn
Cameroon America AIDS Alliance
Causes for Change International
Center for Global Initiatives
CircEsteem
Colombia Vive Chicago
Common Hope
COPERMA Congo Survivors
CROSO
Dalit Solidarity, Inc.
Education and Hope
El Fuego del Sol
Engineer's Without Borders
Every Person Has A Story
five ACCESSORIES
Fr John Kolkman Sickle Cell Foundation
Ghar Sita Mutu
Global Alliance for Africa
GREENOLA Style/Solidarity Bridge
Hagar USA
Heartland International
Heartland Alliance Marjorie Kovler Center
HELPSudan
Heshima Kenya
Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach
India Development Service
International Aid Services
Invisible Conflicts
Ivory Coast Mothers and Children
Juntos Adelante
Just Haiti Landmines Blow!
Leading India's Future Today (LIFT)
LemonAid Fund
Light and Leadership Initiative
Mailisita Foundation
Malawi Matters Inc.
Malia Designs
Matanya's Hope
MayaWorks
Michele Baldwin Living Memorial
Mindful Medicine Worldwide NFP
My Grandmother's River Project
Nicaragua-Direct
One Acre Fund
One Heart for Congo
Peace Care
Peace Journey Project
PRHeSS
Project FOCUS
Rebuilding Haiti's Libraries: Rebuilding Dreams
Riders for Health
Share Your Soles Foundation
Small Planet Big Plans
SOUTH SUDAN HOPE N.F.P
Spark Ventures
SwaziKids International
Tanzania Development Support
Ten Thousand Villages
The GEANCO Foundation
The Human Development Foundation
The Through Her Eyes Project
Tibet Girls School
Tikondane Community Center
Tillers International
Vamos Adelante
Vanavevhu
Vumilia
Women's Global Education Project
Working Bikes Cooperative
Zakat Foundation of America

Organizations also collecting materials on-site include Aid Africa's Children requesting toothbrushes (kids and adults) and small samples of toothpaste; Matanya’s Hope collecting gently used book bags and school shoes, soccer balls, air pumps, and fleece blankets for children in Kenya; Fr John Kolkman Sickle Cell Foundation collecting blood pressure cuffs/monitors and stethoscopes for their work in Cameroon; Solidarity Bridge collecting crayons, children's books (Spanish preferred), Band-Aids, or any household medical supplies for distribution in Bolivia; Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach collecting items to be assembled into a standard hygiene kit: hand towels, wash cloths, fingernail clippers, bath bar soap, tooth brush, toothpaste, Band-Aids, combs, and a one gallon Ziploc bags; Causes for Change International collecting sunglasses (both kid and adult sizes); and Working Bikes Cooperative collecting bicycles and wheelchairs.

Additionally, some organizations will be presenting on-site demonstrations and activities including: Working Bikes Cooperative who will have an on-site demonstration of “bike machines” showing how they are using bicycles for UV water sterilization, water pumping, or charging phones and laptops in communities around the world; LIFT Foundation (Leading India’s Future Today) hosting the opportunity to live video chat with children in India for a transnational game of “Simon Says”; CircEsteem displaying circus skills and teaching guests how to juggle, spin a plate, or balance a feather; Project FOCUS presenting the opportunity for attendees to contribute to a community mural; and solar Sun Ovens on display, courtesy of El Fuego del Sol.

A full list of presentations and world music performances will be posted closer to the event.

The UIC Social Justice Initiative
The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is engaged in a major initiative which will, in the coming year, launch several exciting new projects linking scholars and activists in Chicago and beyond. The UIC Social Justice Initiative includes a new Student Summer Institute on Social Justice, Democracy and Human Rights; active community engagement projects; and collaborations that connect the UIC community to work that is creating positive change and providing needed services from Haiti to Mexico to India. The Social Justice Initiative reflects UIC’s mission to “create knowledge that transforms our views of the world and, through sharing and application, transforms the world.”

Location