A city of rooftop bars, boat rides on the lake, endless festivals, unbeatable views and countless restaurants, Chicago is unmatched—especially at this time of year. With summer’s glow beaming down on the city, it’s time to get outside, touch grass, and get lost in the dreamy and vibrant aura of the season. Embrace all that Summertime Chi has to offer by tapping in with these four Black-owned and run creative collectives. This way, you’ll never have to say, “I wish I’d known about this event” or “I always miss out on parties like this” again. Because summer is not the place for FOMO.
Very Human Social
Ground yourself in your body, connect with your power and be open to flow this summer with Very Human Social. An idyllic social wellness club, VHS was founded by Candis Oakley in 2021.
“With VHS, I’ve worked to create a space that feels spacious,” Oakley expressed.
Through connective and mindfulness-centric programming, Oakley gives participants the room to discover what they feel, then feel what they feel and talk about it. VHS calls in people who are open—or at the very least curious—to self-exploration, healing and empowerment. At the heart of the club is connection and community.
As Oakley explains, "The purpose is to guide us back to ourselves, expand our sense of trust, see ourselves more clearly and foster a more interconnected city that respects and acknowledges the humanity of others."
From Friend Request, a platonic friendship speed dating event, to Where’s My Body, a yoga practice centered on somatic healing and connection, to Romantically Challenged, a new approach to dating centered around uncovering our definition and understanding of love, VHS is Oakley’s gift to the city and all its inhabitants.
Upcoming events:
Every Saturday at The Plant: Where is My Body yoga series.
June 22: Romantically Challenged, a mindful speed dating gathering centered around uncovering what love really means.
Where to tap in:
Sounds by Sa
Sounds by Sa feels like Bronzeville. Rooted in blackness, rhythm and a celebration of the people who create the culture, this music-centric collective was founded in 2018 by Gen-Zer Nosa Eke. Always moved by music—his father was a DJ— he connected with Afrobeats in a way he never had before when he returned home to Nigeria at the end of 2017.
"Though I rarely knew what the songs were saying, I felt a connection to the music," Eke said. "It was then that I realized the power of music and the role it plays in unifying people. I returned to the States intending to share this love of music with people through event curation."
Through Sounds by Sa, Eke uses music and curation to empower people to be boundless in connecting with others and themselves. From listening to dancing to laughing and vibing, Sounds by Sa creates a space for Black and Brown bodies. Whether he's hosting events in Brooklyn or spinning in Wicker Park, Eke’s mission is simple—"To use music to move people to a physical, emotional and spiritual place of relief."
Upcoming events:
July 21 and August 17: Summer’s Like This Day Party at Pier 31. Follow on Instagram for ticket drop info.
Where to tap in:
@soundsbysa and the official website to subscribe to the mailing list and stay up to date. If you can’t make it out to an event, don’t worry. Tap into the Sounds by Sa YouTube channel to watch performances.
Black Film Club Chicago
Enriching Chicago's cultural community one screening at a time, Black Film Club Chicago fuses after-school clubs' cool and niche appeal with the poetic and aesthetic feel of the ‘90s. Birthed the way most beautiful things are—after taking in a magnificent piece of art—Troy Martin started BFCC with a friend after watching and having a profound conversation about Queen and Slim. The club met in Troy's apartment and has grown astronomically since then. Run by Martin and Chi Achebe, BFCC creates space for everyone to be a community critic and express their feelings about film in an open, supportive and art-centered environment.
"We have created an environment where everyone's thoughts and feelings are given center stage," said Achebe. "Ensuring that even the most unspoken ideas are voiced and valued."
From screenings of classic black films paired with iconic movie snacks and followed by a discussion to events centered around creative exploration and showcasing new talent in the Black filmmaking space, BFCC was made for Black and Brown film enthusiasts, creatives and lovers of conversation about Black art.
Upcoming events:
July 20: Sip, Savor, Screen brunch at Bronzeville Winery. Fuel your body and mind with a lively screening of the hit Netflix series, High on the Hog, and a discussion with culinary and cultural trailblazers. Tickets are available here.
August 17: Chicago Film Symposium 2024: Uplifting Black and Brown Film Creatives. Black Film Club Chicago and Black Women Directors are teaming up to host a film symposium in Chicago, where they’ll be screening short documentaries and narrative films by Black Chicago-based filmmakers.
Where to tap in:
Sunday Music Sessions
Get lost in all the reasons you fell in love with music this summer with Sunday Music Sessions. What started as a chill living room kickback among friends to share and talk about music has become the place to be on Sunday evenings. Founded by Rasheed Brown, Dan Brown, Clarence Quarcoo and Cole Smith in March 2023, Sunday Music Sessions' mission, as expressed by Rasheed Brown, is to "create community and connection across cultures through unique, intimate experiences revolving around music and stories."
These music sessions are broken down into three parts: A happy hour to connect with friends and submit songs to be played; an interactive jukebox segment where everyone listens to the music that was shared; and the after-vibe, which is when the DJ takes over and everyone vibes until the lights go out. To maintain that homey, "we're all kicking it at a friend's house" vibe, the number of participants is capped at 75 people per session.
A love letter to music, connection and Chicago, Sunday Music Sessions feels like the type of hangout you see in the movies—romanticized, euphoric and rooted in culture. It's hard not to feel like the main character of your life in a space like this. Sunday Music Sessions has a six-month residency at Guild Row in Avondale, so tap in with them up north this summer.
Upcoming events:
June 23: Motherland to the Sands, a session dedicated to the sounds of summer, a.k.a. Caribbean bops and Afrobeats. Tickets are available here.
Where to tap in: