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Free Spirit Media community screening in collaboration with WTTW and DCASE
Free Spirit Media community screening in collaboration with WTTW and DCASE

On a blistery Saturday afternoon, Free Spirit Media hosted a screening at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater. The screening, presented in collaboration with WTTW and DCASE, showcased two films produced by Free Spirit Media’s young creatives: “Ahimsa” and “Fuzzy Legs”.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Events
FOCUS 2019
May 30
FOCUS 2019

Join Free Spirit Media for FOCUS 2019! Stay tuned for location, program, and more details!

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LATEST

ORGANIZATION NEWS

Featured
Free Spirit Media community screening in collaboration with WTTW and DCASE
Free Spirit Media community screening in collaboration with WTTW and DCASE

On a blistery Saturday afternoon, Free Spirit Media hosted a screening at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater. The screening, presented in collaboration with WTTW and DCASE, showcased two films produced by Free Spirit Media’s young creatives: “Ahimsa” and “Fuzzy Legs”.

Read More →
Emerging Creatives Break Into Film Industry with Chicago Track Launch
Emerging Creatives Break Into Film Industry with Chicago Track Launch

On Saturday, November 17th Industry Pathways held their annual launch of The Chicago Track, a program series of industry workshops and master classes for emerging creatives seeking opportunities in film, media and television and premiere of "Fuzzy Legs", a capstone film project of the 2018 Industry Pathways Cohort.

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YAS! Fest features special musical guests and centers youth talent
YAS! Fest features special musical guests and centers youth talent
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Founders' Circle brings together leaders and creators to engage in Crucial Conversations
Founders' Circle brings together leaders and creators to engage in Crucial Conversations
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Douglas Park Screening celebrates media produced by Free Spirit and School of the Art Institute
Douglas Park Screening celebrates media produced by Free Spirit and School of the Art Institute
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Free Spirit Media End of Summer Celebrations
Free Spirit Media End of Summer Celebrations

To end an exciting summer, Free Spirit Media hosted four events celebrating and honoring youth artist work.

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FSM News South's crew members speak out at gun violence prevention press conference and roundtable with Senator Duckworth and Congressman Rush
FSM News South's crew members speak out at gun violence prevention press conference and roundtable with Senator Duckworth and Congressman Rush

RECAP: On August 7, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-IL-01), hosted a press conference and roundtable discussion on gun violence prevention at Gary Comer Youth Center, where our FSM News South programming is hosted. 

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FSM News West participates in cultural exchange with WorldChicago visitors
FSM News West participates in cultural exchange with WorldChicago visitors

RECAP: For the past few years, WorldChicago,  a nonprofit organization "dedicated to promoting citizen diplomacy through programs that connect the Chicago community with the world,"  has facilitated two visits to the FSM News West summer documentary program. This year, our teen participants welcomed around 10 visitors from Saudi Arabia on July 23rd and 11 British teens from the UK-US Youth Dialogue Programme on July 25th. 

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Free Spirit Media's Mid-Summer Fun Fest brought new friendships and connections
Free Spirit Media's Mid-Summer Fun Fest brought new friendships and connections

PHOTOS: Free Spirit Media hosted a Mid-Summer Fun Fest to offer a space for new connections and friendships to be made across all of Free Spirit Media's different programs.

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Chicago Community Trust visits Free Spirit Media for a roundtable discussion with North Lawndale community leaders
Chicago Community Trust visits Free Spirit Media for a roundtable discussion with North Lawndale community leaders

RECAP: Chicago Community Trust President and CEO, Helene Gale, and COO, Andrea Sanchez, joined us at The Nichols Tower in Homan Square to have a conversation with local leaders about the North Lawndale community.

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Free Spirit Media's Digital Yearbook 2018
Free Spirit Media's Digital Yearbook 2018

This year has been a great one for Free Spirit Media. We've traveled all over from bustling cities like New York to marches in Washington D.C. to relaxing in rural farms in India. We've won awards, hosted parties, rebranded, and celebrated one another's work.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: Free Spirit Media Receives $650,000 grant from the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to Strengthen Inclusive Journalism as part of the Jack Fuller Legacy Initiative
ANNOUNCEMENT: Free Spirit Media Receives $650,000 grant from the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to Strengthen Inclusive Journalism as part of the Jack Fuller Legacy Initiative

ANNOUNCEMENT: Free Spirit Media is so humbled and grateful to be a part of the MacArthur Foundation Jack Fuller Initiative. Jack Fuller, former Editor and Publisher of The Chicago Tribune and MacArthur Trustee, was a firm believer that good journalism and civic engagement are inextricably linked.

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VIDEO SPOTLIGHT

Media Library 2017 Archive
Open House Chicago With Free Spirit Media

On October 14, 2017, Free Spirit Media hosted an Open House as part of the Chicago Architecture Foundation's Open House Chicago, drawing over 200 visitors to the historic Nichols Tower. An FSM News crew covered the event.

Solutions for Chicago: Diversity and Inclusion in the Creative Economy

Free Spirit Media was excited to celebrate and grow our Founders Circle at this year's Solutions for Chicago: Diversity, Inclusion & the Creative Economy panel discussion at the Arts Club of Chicago on Tuesday, September 26.

SUPPORTER SPOTLIGHT

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Robert R. McCormick Foundation

Fostering communities of educated, informed, and engaged citizens.

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INSTAGRAM - @FreeSpiritChi

#WellnessWednesday In November, Jenny Shi of @therealchifsm profiled Chicagoans from the Southwest side who are fighting for long-term mental health services in their communities. https://buff.ly/2T15hqO
Free Spirit Media wishes you a happy new year. Thank you for sharing 2018 with us and we hope you will continue helping us empower young diverse creatives in 2019 and beyond! 😀 🤗 😍
Happy Kwanzaa! Christmas is a really popular holiday but do you know about other days of celebration? #FBF to this video from FSM News West (@fsmnews) exploring holidays from around the world! https://buff.ly/2SXT0n5
Happy Kwanzaa! Christmas is a really popular holiday but do you know about other days of celebration? #FBF to this video from FSM News West (@fsmnews) exploring holidays from around the world! https://buff.ly/2SXT0n5
Free Spirit Media sends Seasons Greetings to you, your family, and loved ones! May your holidays be filled with opportunities to create, empower, and inspire! ❄️ ☃️
SAVE THE DATE: On January 19th, from 2-4PM at @chiculturcenter, FSM is partnering with @chicagodcase and @wttwchicago to screen two films focused on forms of inner peace and anti-violence: Ahimsa and Fuzzy Legs ✌🏽 ... Stay tuned for more info about these films as well as the panel discussing the importance of film that will follow the screening! 🎬
Looking back on our #EverydayFSM campaign. Free Spirit Media’s programs are as diverse as our participants! We hope you enjoyed getting to know a little more about the #everyday and exciting work of #fsmfam 🎊
Damon and Daniel from @airgoradio visit @therealchifsm newsroom as they put the finishing touches on their soundproof recording room for #podcast production! #EverydayFSM
Troy Pryor, Derek Nelson, and Charles Borg from @creativecypher during their visit to FSM News West (@fsmnews). Participants got a chance to show off their #creative work and also hear from this amazing group of people! #EverydayFSM
Free Spirit Media’s dynamic board of directors at our #holiday meeting. Uplifting and powerful discussion from a committee team of leaders and friends 📸: @fsmjeff
2018 @inpathways Cohort Training Program member and photographer, Alex Brooks, test drives an ARRI Alexa camera at Chicago’s AC 101 Workshop by @abelcine. Get involved with InPathways by joining them TOMORROW for The Chicago Track’s The Business & Craft of Writing & Development workshop. #EverydayFSM

TWITTER - @FreeSpiritChi

TWITTER - #FSMfam

 

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