Progress
Since CKP’s inception in July of 2003, we have made significant progress through our public programming, institutional policy initiatives, research projects and community partnerships. Some of the highlights of our work are:
- "Winning Words: Orate, Debate, Enact/Verbal Arts for Democratic Practice", run in partnership with Larry Hawkins and the Office of Special Events-College Prep, is rapidly developing into a successful yearlong humanities afterschool program for local middle schools. The winter section of this program, involving the South Shore Urban Debate Project, is now in its second successful year.
- Hosting the successful conference entitled “Cityspace: The Past of Urban Renewal and the Future of Community Development”. Over 250 people attended the two days of panels, workshops and the keynote address by President Randel.
- Expansion of the Odyssey Project to offer the traditional humanities curriculum in Spanish at the Gad Hill Center in Pilsen. Professors Mario Santana and Emilio Kourí taught in that course.
- Approval of a pilot program to allow Southside public school teachers access to our libraries. We requested and were given approval to begin a pilot program for public school teachers to gain access to our library system. Teachers will receive access cards and be given an orientation similar to that of new faculty and students, with an emphasis on resources for teaching.
- Created dynamic new partnerships with many community members and groups, including the Bronzeville Community Development Partnership (BCDP), the DuSable Museum of African American History, the Black Metropolis Convention and Tourism Council (BMC&TC), the Metropolitan Area Group Igniting Civilization (MAGIC), the Washington Park Advisory Council, the Sutherland Community Arts Initiative (SCAI) and many others.
- Hosted the conference “Enhancing Assets” for over 70 Southside arts, cultural and humanities organizations. The day of workshops and networking provided these organizations a chance to meet and address common concerns about professional development for small organizations in the areas of grant writing, public relations, technology, curatorship, finance and law and humanities content in public programming.