When: January 20, 2025 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Event Program
Welcome to Diverse Communities United (DCU) — Y.O.U.’s biggest event of the year! We’re grateful that you have decided to join us on this meaningful day. This year marks our 20th DCU event. Today’s theme is Rooted in Purpose–Dream Big! To dream big is to see past the current reality and hope for a better future. Youth have been hard at work creating performances and artwork that embody this theme. We hope that today inspires you to be part of Dr. King’s vision of a Beloved Community. Thank you again for coming!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click the links below to jump to a specific section:
ORDER OF EVENTS
- Welcome — Craig Lynch, Executive Director
- Building History — Steven Rogers
- AmeriCorps Pledge — AmeriCorps Members
- Today’s Focus and AmeriCorps Partnership — Filmon Tekie
- The Pablo Puppet Show: The Life of Martin Luther King Jr. — King Arts School
- Changemakers: Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy Through Service — King Arts School
- Building STEAM: Rooted in the Present, Dreaming of the Future — Bessie Rhodes School
- AmeriCorps Rooted in Purpose! — Aakayla Sheppard
- AmeriCorps Reflection — Jaavion Bradley
- Unlocking Youths’ Dreamss — Chute Middle School
- My Dream! My Purpose!— Oakton Elementary School + Walker Elementary School
- Dream Big News — Dawes Elementary School
- Glory
- Community Dance and Drum Circle— Michael Taylor
- Closing Remarks and Gallery Opening
PERFORMERS
Building STEAM: Rooted in the Present, Dreaming of the Future (Bessie Rhodes School)
On-Stage Performers: Kennedi Johnson, Yollohtzin Mendez, Cecilia Neuendorf, Ayden Robinson, Ned Parsons, Sonia Pompilus, Macaylah Senra
On-Screen Performers: Amadeo Flowers, Bella Tapia, Braddox Grays-Virgil, Byron Johnson, Lyra Pointer-Herring, Sebastian Kyrias, Sebastian Pena, Simone Kyrias, Sophie Tapia, Taylor Wright, Tenitzitlalli Mendez, Victoria Cedacero, Yatzil Balbuena, Zhoan He Lee
Staff Support: Amanda Goad, Heather Havka
Unlocking Youths’ Dreams (Chute Middle School)
Performers: Alexis Adeboye, Ava Bock, Amare Bostick, Bless’a Bowen, Chayce Bowers Amari Burns, Lola Chadwick, Laila Collins, Joshua Conley, Isaiah Cunningham, Kaitlyn Hutcherson, Jeremiah Malone, Rianna Malone, Nylah Patton, Tristan Payton, Solaris Reese, Caitlyn Richter, Ava Rivera, Elliott Rosen Garcia, Kailyn Sayles, Serenity Smith, EJ Solomon, Ethan Steffen, Parvani Venkatesan, Amir Wilson, Dante Wilson, Cameron Lee
Staff Support: Jaavion Bradley, Mei Kelly, Esther Shepard
Dream Big News (Dawes Elementary School)
Performers: Madison Berry, Cayden Bostick, Laani Collins, Skylar Farr Lee, Zyana Fowlin, Aaleyah Gentle, Harriette Penly, Willa Penly, Jaryselis Reese, Eternity Trimble, Brandon Wright Jr., Meilani Young
Staff Support: Cheyenne Buford, Sheryl Coaxum, Aakayla Sheppard
Changemakers: Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy Through Service (King Arts School)
Performers: Malia Bouzi, Charissa Delice, Kalaya Hayes, Amyah McNeil, Hadassah Morris, Alyssa Murray, Landyn Robinson, Jayda Rhoden, Cleo Rufus, Sariyah Sharp, Kharissa Worrell
Staff Support: Judith Roeder, Esther Shepard
The Pablo Puppet Show: The Life of Martin Luther King Jr. (King Arts School)
Performers and Crew: Hunter Hardin, Isabelle Hernadez, Brielle Ellison, Sofia Hilgado Bercerra, Samia Willaims, Rylieigh Sudduth
Staff Support: Sean Collins, Keanna English, Annah Stevenson, Laini Watts
My Dream! My Purpose! (Oakton Elementary School + Walker Elementary School)
Performers: Lexi Frazier-Thomas, Cataleya Haq-Clark, Amara Johnson, Bailynn Nance, Anirudh Venkatesan, Daeshawn Wilson
Staff Support: Jaylashay Young, Mateo Hain
ART GALLERY
The Dreams Within (Chute Middle School)
Artists: Ava Bock, Lola Chadwick, Ava Rivera, Elliott Rosen Garcia, Parvani Venkatesan
Staff Support: Jaavion Bradley, Mei Kelly, Esther Shepard
Community Puzzle (Dawes Elementary School)
Artists: Madison Berry, Cayden Bostick, Chelsea Brissett, Laani Collins, Skylar Farr Lee, Ayva Fowlin, Zyana Fowlin, Joel Grant, Jonathan Grant, Aaleyah Gentle, Jordynn Jackson, Bella Nguyen, Harriette Penly, Willa Penly, Jaryselis Reese, Leandro Rios, Ava Sutherland, Eternity Trimble, Brandon Wright, Meilani Young
Staff Support: Cheyenne Buford, Sheryl Coaxum, Aakayla Sheppard
Our Dreams - Voices of ETHS Students (Evanston Township High School)
Artists: Nozomi Ishida, Yarilexa Ortega, Arvin Powyer-Hutcherson, Liyana Rogers, Lyric Rogers, Raphael Saint-Eloi, Therry Saint-Eloi
Staff Support: Jaavion Bradley, Mei Kelly, Esther Shepard
King Art Presents: Dream Big (King Arts School)
Artists: Hunter Hardin, Isabelle Hernandez, Sofia Hidalgo-Becerra, Emmett Jones, Serena Torres, Ayden White
Staff Support: Judith Roeder, Laini Watts
Embedded (Nichols Middle School + Washington Elementary School)
Artists: Ziad Abuzayyad, Walter Batres-Rodriguez, Alexzander Davis, Gabriel Flores, Xavi Galicia, Caitlyn Gilleland, Ileah Graham, Journey Hull, Hannah Hunt-Muhammed, Bailey Jean-Jacques, Makayla Mack, Malaya Martin, Anthony Milner Jr., Amari Msosa, Caroline Stapinski
Staff Support: Alejandra Arellano, Tuere Atkinson, Shai Sardin, Filmon Tekie
Purpose through Pictures: Our Dreams on Canvas (Oakton Elementary School + Walker Elementary School)
Artists: Caysen Bowers, Celyne Bowers, Nike Davis, Malik Harris-Houston, Jaiyana Henley, Zion Pickens, Taliyah Spencer, Ty'Keyse Spencer
Staff Support: Mateo Hain, Jaylashay Young
THANK YOUS
Thank you to Open Studio Project for working with King Arts youth on their DCU gallery piece.
Thank you to Evanston-Skokie School District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202 for their programmatic partnership and use of space for youth to practice for the event.
Each year, Y.O.U. holds a competition to design the DCU t-shirt. Youth submit t-shirt designs based on the DCU theme which are then voted on by staff. Congratulations to Harriette Penley on her winning design!
AMERICORPS DAY OF SERVICE
