Mutual Aid Fair: An Afternoon of Community Care

Join us for a fun afternoon dedicated to resourcing our communities! We’ll be at Movement on Montrose on Sunday, June 14 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m., diving into collective care with our second-ever Mutual Aid Fair!

This will be an opportunity to connect with your neighbors and experience mutual aid in action.  We’ll have:

• A DJ Shey Bae will be spinning tunes and setting the mood!

• Free kids’ and family-friendly experiences; including face painting with Shelly Glam Makeup and yoga led by Janeth Barrera

• Free yoga for adults with Imaninia Bahtyé (bring your own yoga mat)

• Food from local vendors available for purchase

• A chance to plug into mutual aid groups and other community-based organizations

Feria de Ayuda Mutua: Una Tarde de Cuidado Comunitario

¡Ven a pasar una tarde divertida, dedicada a apoyar y levantar a nuestra comunidad! Estaremos en Movement on Montrose el domingo 14 de junio de 11 a.m. a 3 p.m., empapándonos en el cuidado colectivo con nuestra segunda Feria de Ayuda Mutua.

Será una oportunidad para conectar con tus vecinos/es y ver la ayuda mutua en acción. Habrá:

• DJ Shey Bae poniendo música y prendiendo el ambiente

• Actividades gratis para niños/es y familias: pintura de caritas con Shelly Glam Makeup y yoga guiada por Janeth Barrera

• Comida de negocios locales disponible para comprar

• Conexiones con grupos de ayuda mutua y otras organizaciones comunitarias

Free yoga and sound bowls for adults!

Throughout the day we’ll have free yoga classes with sound bowls for adults. The classes will be led by Imaninia Bahtyé and Kari Sanchez. Classes will be in Studio #2 at Movement on Montrose at 12:15 p.m., 1:15 p.m., and 2:15 p.m.

• Classes are first come, first served.

• Bring your own yoga mat!

Free Yoga for Kids (with participating adults)!

Throughout the day we’ll have free yoga classes available for kids of all ages. The classes will be led by Janeth Barrera Yoga. Classes will be in Studio #3 at Movement on Montrose at 11:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 1:30 p.m.

• Each class will be able to accommodate up to 8 kids.

• A parent or adult guardian must be present with their child.

• Classes are first come, first served.

• No special gear is required. All we ask is that kids (and participating adults) wear comfortable clothes!

Yoga Gratis para Niños/es (¡con personas adultas acompañantes!)

Durante todo el día tendremos clases de yoga gratuitas para niños/es de todas las edades. Las clases serán dirigidas por Janeth Barrera Yoga.

Las clases se llevarán a cabo en el Estudio #3 en Movement on Montrose a las 11:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m. y 1:30 p.m.

• Cada clase tendrá espacio para hasta 8 niños/es.

• Un padre o adulto responsable debe estar presente con su menor.

• Las clases se asignan por orden de llegada.

• No se necesita equipo especial. ¡Solo pedimos que niños/es y personas adultas usen ropa cómoda!

We’ll also be gathering high-demand items to distribute to community members. Feel free to bring the following items. Please stick to the list as it includes items based on community need and request:

• Toilet paper

• Paper towels

• Toothpaste (full sized preferred)

• Baby wipes

• Infant formula, especially Enfamil Neuropro formula

• Canned proteins

• Canned veggies

• Unopened ramen 

• Rice

• Oatmeal

• Dried beans

También estaremos recolectando artículos de alta demanda para distribuir a miembros de la comunidad.  Si desean, pueden traer los siguientes artículos. Por favor, manténganse dentro de esta lista, ya que está basada en las necesidades y solicitudes de la comunidad:

• Papel higiénico

• Toallas de papel

• Pasta dental (se prefiere tamaño regular)

• Toallitas húmedas para bebé

• Fórmula infantil, especialmente Enfamil NeuroPro

• Proteínas enlatadas

• Verduras enlatadas

• Ramen sin abrir

• Arroz

• Avena

• Frijoles secos

Can’t make it?

You can still show up and show support by making a donation of any amount today! All dollars raised will go toward covering our event costs (which we expect will be around $1,500). Any dollars raised beyond our expenses will support Women Unite! and Chicago United Solidarity Project.

¿No pueden venir?  

¡Todavía pueden hacerse presentes y apoyar con una donación de cualquier cantidad hoy mismo! Todo lo recaudado ayudará a cubrir los costos del evento (que calculamos que serán alrededor de $1,500). Cualquier cantidad que sobre después de cubrir los gastos apoyará a Women Unite! y al Chicago United Solidarity Project.

Join us on Sunday, May 25 as we dive deep into collective care with our first-ever Mutual Aid Fair! This will be an opportunity to connect with your neighbors and experience mutual aid in action. 

We’ll have:

• DJ Shey Bae spinning tunes and setting the mood!

• Free yoga for kids with Janeth Barrera! See below for more details.

• Pay-what-you-can face painting with Shelly Glam Face & Body Paint!

• A pay-what-you-can raffle!

• Food available for purchase, including vegan Asian food from Snackie Chan, tacos from Tacos Las Mantias, and ice cream from Hippie Sueños.

• A pay-what-you can rummage sale with housewares, books, kid and adult clothing, and so much more!

• A chance to plug into mutual aid groups and other community-based organizations, including: Canna Equity IL, Albany Park Mutual Aid, Mayfair Mutual Aid, Chicago Women’s Health Center, Liberation Library, South Side Help Center, Climate Mobilization, and more!

We hope you’ll join us for a fun afternoon dedicated to resourcing our communities!

😷 Please note that, in the spirt of mutual aid and caring for our community, we’ll be requiring masks be worn indoors. We’ll have free masks onsite for anyone who needs them!

🚗 We will be taking over the parking lot, which means you’ll need to find street parking if you drive. We recommend public transit, ride share, or carpooling!

Free Yoga for Kids*!

Throughout the day we’ll have free yoga classes available for kids of all ages. The classes will be led by Janeth Barrera Yoga. Classes will be in Studio #3 at Movement on Montrose at 11:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

Each class will be able to accommodate up to 8 kids. Please note that a parent or adult guardian must be present with their child. Classes are first come, first served.

No special gear is required. All we ask is that kids (and participating adults) wear comfortable clothes!

*Please note, childcare will NOT be provided and all kids must be accompanied by an adult!!!

Budget Transparency

Our goal isn’t to raise money. It’s to create a community event while covering our expenses. Our expected costs are outlined below and any excess revenue received will be split between Women Unite! and Chicago United Solidarity Project.

• Space Rental: $390

• Kids Yoga Activity (four 30-minute sessions): $250

• Local DJ: $350

• Printing costs (flyers and promotional postcards): $175

• Miscellaneous: $250

Projected Event Cost: $1,415

Help us cover our costs by making a donation of any amount today!

Budget FAQs

Why spend money on a DJ? The DJ we’re using is a local community member who generates income through music bookings. Our approach to mutual aid includes creating opportunities to pay folks for their work!

Why are you offering activities for kids? Kids are a part of all communities and we want to make the space accessible and inviting for them! Our approach to mutual aid means creating spaces where people of all ages are valued.

Why are your printing costs so high? We use a local printer whenever possible as a way to support small businesses. Although this does mean we have higher costs, it helps keep money out of the pockets of big corporations.

What does miscellaneous include? This is allocated for things like providing water, N/A drinks, nametags, kid-friendly snacks, and any last-minute or unexpected items to ensure the event runs smoothly.

¡Acompáñanos el Domingo 25 de Mayo para nuestra primera Feria de recursos llamada “Mutual Aid Fair”! Será una oportunidad para obtener información sobre recursos. Usted también podrá disfrutar de actividades y comida. 

Podrá disfrutar de: 

•  ¡Tendremos música en vivo a cargo de DJ Shey Bae!

• ¡Yoga gratis para niñ@s y otras actividades infantiles! (Más detalles abajo)
  ¡Vendedores de Comida!

• ¡Una venta de segunda mano a precios accesibles—artículos del hogar, libros, ropa y articulos para niñ@s y adultos, y mucho más!

• ¡Acceso a recursos comunitarios y organizaciones locales!

¡Esperamos que nos acompañe en una tarde ambientada y dedicada a fortalecer nuestras comunidades!

😷 Se requerirá el uso de cubrebocas en espacios interiores. Tendremos cubrebocas gratuitos disponibles para quien lo necesite.

¡Clase de Yoga gratis para los peques!*

Habrán clases de yoga gratuitas para niñ@s de todas las edades, impartidas por Janeth Barrera Yoga. Las clases serán en Movement on Montrose a las: 11:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., y 2:30 p.m.

Cada clase tiene cupo limitado de 8 niñ@s. Es necesario que un adulto esté presente con su hij@.

Las clases se asignan por orden de llegada.

No se necesita tapete de yoga. ¡Solo pedimos que l@s niñ@s (y adultos que participen) usen ropa cómoda!

Nota: NO se ofrecerá cuidado infantil, tod@s l@s niñas deben estar acompañad@s por una persona adulta.

Presupuesto de Evento

Nuestro objetivo del evento no es obtener ganancias sino crear un evento comunitario para ofrecer recursos y tan solo cubrir los gastos del evento. Cualquier ingreso adicional se dividirá entre Women Unite! y Chicago United Solidarity Project. A continuación podrá ver el reparto de los gastos para el evento:

• Renta del espacio: $390

• Actividad de yoga para niñ@s (cuatro sesiones de 30 minutos): $250

• DJ local: $350

• Impresión de volantes: $175

• Misceláneos: $250

Costo estimado del evento: $1,415

Si gustas apoyarnos en cubrir los gastos puedes hacer una donación del monto de tu preferencia haciendo click AQUÍ.

Preguntas Frecuentes sobre el Presupuesto del Evento

¿Por qué gastar en un DJ? El DJ que contratamos es parte de nuestra comunidad y genera ingresos a través de presentaciones musicales. Nuestra intención es ayudar a nuestra comunidad ofreciéndoles trabajo para eventos de este tipo en donde les pagamos por sus servicios. 

¿Por qué ofrecen actividades para niñ@s? L@s niñ@s son parte de nuestras comunidades y queremos que el evento sea accesible para tod@s. Nuestra idea de ayuda comunitaria incluye espacios donde se valoren personas de todas las edades.

¿Por qué son tan altos los costos de impresión? Siempre que podemos, usamos imprentas locales para apoyar a pequeños negocios. Aunque esto a veces implica un costo más alto, preferimos evitar que el dinero termine en manos de corporaciones grandes.

¿Qué artículos incluyen dentro de “misceláneos”? Misceláneos cubre cosas como agua, bebidas sin alcohol, gafetes, snacks para niñ@s y cualquier artículo de último minuto o imprevisto para que el evento se lleve a cabo.

Join us at Cedillo’s Fresh Produce for a private, catered farm to table dinner where you’ll have a chance to enjoy Chicago summer, connect with folks, and learn more about incredible mutual aid and social justice work happening across the city. Our menu will be designed and prepared by Roberto Pérez of Urban Pilón. Pérez is a chef, musician, and researcher of Afro-Caribbean traditions and a founding member of the Afro-Puerto Rican music group, Bomba con Buya.

During this intimate dining experience, you'll have a chance to enjoy Chicago summer, connect with folks, and learn more about incredible mutual aid and social justice work happening across the city.

Space is limited and tickets are required!

Cedillo’s Fresh Produce is a family run farm located at 325 W 70th Place on the South Side of Chicago. Founder Juan Cedillo is a third generation farmer who learned most of his skills working alongside his father and grandfather.

Urban Pilón is a culinary movement with a mission: to honor and preserve cooking traditions from Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Latin America, while using completely natural, healthy ingredients.

UPDATE: The trash pickup is at capacity! Feel free to stop by Guild Row from 6 - 8 pm for our happy hour hang. No need to register!

Join us at Guild Row on Wednesday, June 12 from 5:30–8:00 p.m. as we kickoff our first annual  Summer Series: Creating Community. Finding Hope., a joint effort led by Chicago United Solidarity Project, Pet Mutual Aid, Trash People, and Women Unite!. Through meaningful events and fundraising initiatives, we hope to connect our networks, deepen relationships, and cultivate hope.

We hope you’ll join us for a night of community connection and for an opportunity to learn more about ways you can plug into Chicago’s vibrant organizing and mutual aid scene!

What to Expect: 

• 5:30–6:15 p.m.: Neighborhood trash pickup with Trash People.

• 6–8:00 p.m.: Happy hour hang 

• Board games

• Giant Jenga

• Bags

• Raffle prizes

• Around 7:00 p.m. we’ll have some brief remarks!

The Space: 

• Located at 3130 N. Rockwell St.

• Guild Row is 21+

• Drinks and food will be available for purchase directly from Guild Row

• Non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase

• Street parking available

Join us at Nobody’s Darling on Thursday, August 3 as we celebrate another year of #WUCrewSummer.

This virtual panel discussion will feature Women Unite! and their 2020 partners, Chicago Women’s Health Center, Growing Home, and Healing to Action, four grassroots organizations committed to building a more just, equitable world. Leaders from these groups will discuss the challenges of staying radical within our capitalist system and some ways that we, the people, can come together to make real, lasting change. The panel will be moderated by L’Oreal Thompson.

This event has a suggested donation of $15.00. All proceeds will be distributed equally among Women Unite!, Chicago Women’s Health Center, Growing Home, and Healing to Action.

You must register for the event in order to attend. Registration closes at noon on December 9. Register via Eventbrite here.