Creating Together What You Can’t Create Alone: The Third Annual Earth Jam at Sankofa

Sunday, September 20, 2026 anytime from 2 and 5 p.m.

Meet at the parking lot for Burham Nature Sanctuary at E 47th Street and Cornell Drive by 2:00 p.m. to take part in the group walk to the Sankofa structure.

CHICAGO, IL September 1, 2026. To foster creation in a communal setting, partners ChiBrations, Bronzeville Neighborhood Farm, Chicago Park District, and the Field Museum will join artists Arty Crawford and Dorian Sylvain at Sankofa for the Earth for the third annual Earth Jam in the captivating urban wilderness of Burnham Wildlife Corridor.

Sankofa for the Earth is one of five public art installations throughout the Burnham Wildlife Corridor, known as Gathering Spaces. Sankofa, meaning “go back and fetch it” to the Akan people of Ghana, embodies the idea of embracing lessons from the past and learning from memories. Sankofa for the Earth encourages collective memory and storytelling for the African diaspora in Chicago, specifically in the Bronzeville neighborhood.

While reflecting on the significance of Sankofa for the Earth for this acoustic jam session, Sam Thousand, the founder of ChiBrations and the lead organizer of Earth Jam, stated, “many creative people I know in Chicago long for escapes to nature, and often use these settings as their muse. I hope to expose more of my community to these spaces that are in our very own backyard, and I intend to activate these spaces with other creatives in ways that leave an energy in the soil for future newcomers to feel the good energy these spaces were imbued

with.”

The family-friendly event will feature a libations ceremony and story performed by Mama Edie, a renowned multi-lingual performance artist. Participants can also expect tasty treats, live music and drummers led by Obari Cartman, additional activities designed to foster community and creativity, including instrument-making with Mobile Music Box.

For more information follow ChiBrations on Instagram or Roots and Routes Initiative on Facebook.

Contact Information: Rosalyn Owens, Bronzeville Neighborhood Farm, [email protected]