Me’Lo the Generation Hero is a hip hop peace ambassador and entrepreneur, trained to facilitate safe space events and peace circles to break the cycles of violence. Her inspirational and upbeat musical stylings defy genre, bridging Rock, Punk, Neo Soul, Indie, Jazz, Hip-Hop and other forms. She was connected to the program by longtime Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks partner R.A.G.E. (the Resident Association of Greater Englewood).

Hailing from Englewood is DJ Jeremy Heights, a DJ and music producer defining his own signature style through Hip Hop, R&B and Pop. He is the founder and CEO of New Heights Music, which created the Color the World Project to share free music tracks with the community. He recently launched the “Nights with Jeremy Heights” podcast to dive into his own upbringing on the South Side and explore the role of art as means for expression and creative healing.

Austin-based modern dance ensemble Move Me Soul fuses technique, performance and character development—empowering artists to “move” their limits on and off stage. Through programs including a teen ensemble, professional dance troupe and its “Commundance” community engagement initiative, the company works primarily in modern dance styles to explore the Black experience on Chicago’s West Side.

The longest-standing Latino cultural center in Chicago, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center (SRBCC) has been committed to preserving and promoting Afro-Puerto Rican and Afro-Latino cultural traditions for more than 50 years. Based in Hermosa, the center offers multi-disciplinary programs that highlight the presence of African cultures in Puerto Rico and Latin America through dance, music, theater, and visual arts.

Javier “Rese” Torres is a Little Village based multimedia visual artist specializing in urban styles. Working in mediums that range from acrylic, oil, and spray paint to welding and fabrication, no two pieces by Rese are ever alike. After studying art in college, Rese founded UrBan Design Inc., and works with clients to realize their personal design visions for their home or business. As a gifted muralist, Rese also shares his talents by creating public art pieces on unexpected canvases across Chicago.

Pullman partner Alexis Willis is a multihyphenate visual and performance artist—an actress, singer, dancer, musician, and painter who studied Theatre at Columbia College Chicago. Connected to the program through PullmanArts, which builds upon the historic beauty and skilled craftsmanship that have bolstered the greater Pullman area’s reputation as a historic and contemporary arts hub, Willis is in residence at the Pullman Artspace Lofts. Developed with Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI) and PullmanArts, Pullman Artspace Lofts uses the tools of real estate development to construct or restore places where artists can affordably live and work.

Rooted in Chicago’s Chinese American community and the historic Chinatown neighborhood, Yin He Dance bridges east and west, past and present via repertory works passed down by master teachers as well as new creations, especially those by members of the Chinese diaspora. The company aims to build new avenues of cultural dialogue and share the joy of dance with all communities.

Collaborating on the design for the production’s mobile stage is Fulton Street Collective—a community incubator and a home base for artists. Its West Town hub features an exhibition and events space, as well as 28 private artist studios. Collective members work in a variety of disciplines including painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography, digital media, dance, and fashion design. The organization strives to help artists develop their skills and their networks so they can grow and enhance themselves and the community.