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Witnessing the Free Spirit Media Effect at FOCUS
Witnessing the Free Spirit Media Effect at FOCUS

More than 300 of our friends, supporters, alumni, and participants were part of The Free Spirit Media Effect at FOCUS. Thanks to your amazing support, Free Spirit Media raised over $120,000 in FOCUS 2019 proceeds! With Melissa DuPrey as emcee and the DJ stylings of DJ Rae Chardonnay, FOCUS 2019 was one of our most fun yet! Guests enjoyed time to dance, mingle, play games and bask in the sunshine and fresh air within the Ivy Room’s outdoor gem. The Free Spirit Media Effect was in motion.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Events
2019 Mid Summer Fun Fest
Jul 25
2019 Mid Summer Fun Fest
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LATEST

ORGANIZATION NEWS

Featured
Witnessing the Free Spirit Media Effect at FOCUS
Witnessing the Free Spirit Media Effect at FOCUS

More than 300 of our friends, supporters, alumni, and participants were part of The Free Spirit Media Effect at FOCUS. Thanks to your amazing support, Free Spirit Media raised over $120,000 in FOCUS 2019 proceeds! With Melissa DuPrey as emcee and the DJ stylings of DJ Rae Chardonnay, FOCUS 2019 was one of our most fun yet! Guests enjoyed time to dance, mingle, play games and bask in the sunshine and fresh air within the Ivy Room’s outdoor gem. The Free Spirit Media Effect was in motion.

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World Chicago visit sparks conversation, highlights diversity
World Chicago visit sparks conversation, highlights diversity

On February 6th, Free Spirit Media welcomed World Chicago to the Nichols Tower. World Chicago is a non-profit organization with the mission of connecting people from around the world to each other, specifically to promote national security, economic development and social security.

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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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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

This was a fantastic opportunity for Free Spirit Media to show off their journalism and videography skills in the same park as artists like Ravyn Lenae, Desiigner as well as hundreds of other Chicago young adults! The result?

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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

On October 11, 2018, Free Spirit Media hosted its fifth annual Founders’ Circle-Crucial Conversations at The Arts Club of Chicago. Founders’ Circle featured an illustrious selection of panelists: University of Chicago Professor Cathy Cohen, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Burrell Communications Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Lewis Williams, InPathways Alumna, Angellic Ross, and The Real Chi Reporter, Samuel González Kelly.

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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

On September 12th, Free Spirit Media kicked off the school year by hosting a screening at the Douglas Park Field House, in collaboration with School of the Art Institute of Chicago at Homan Square (SAIC).

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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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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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