GFA Fellow Naomi Davis and her colleague Zahra Fair

Written by: Maritza Martinez, Fellowship Academy Manager

Last week we had the opportunity to meet 1,200 amazing Prince fans at his Welcome 2 Chicago tour.  Prince was incredible on stage, touring with his largest band ever, which consisted of 20 pieces, including 11 horn players, three backup singers and two guitarists.  The Purple One surprised the crowds of nearly 20,000 each night with special guests Jennifer Hudson and Janelle Monae. 

Green For All was part on the Rebuild The Dream sustainability village at the concert.  Over the three nights, thanks to this effort, Prince fans took 5,208 actions for community, creativity and collaboration.  Attendees could enter to win Purple Circle VIP tickets for the show by visiting some of the 24 booths staffed by local and national groups working for a sustainable community.  In the village’s Sustainable Economy section, participants tasted local honey and sampled skin care products made by social enterprise Sweet Beginnings. In the sustainable food area, attendees learned how Urban Ponics grows lettuce and other produce right in the city. Concertgoers were able to register to vote with Chicago Votes.

And in the sustainable planet section, concertgoers visited Green For All and some of our Chicago partners, including Green For All Fellow Naomi Davis from Blacks in Green.  She asked her Fellow Chicago residents “Where is Your Village?” and asked them to think about the assets in their own communities.  Green Corps Chicago asked participants to identify native plants.  Neighbor Space had a seed bomb creation station so people could green their neighborhoods through guerrilla gardening.

Green For All’s booth was super-hero themed, tying into our Power Moves initiative. GFA staffers and Fellow Jumaani Bates asked concertgoers to imagine they had superpowers and consider how they would use these powers for good.  They posed for photos with signs of their choice. Superpowers ranged from “Grow Healthy Food,” to “Spread the Love,” to  “Transform the Economy,” to “Create Green Jobs,” and of course….”Green is Sexy!”

See Super PowerFUL Prince fans here: http://bit.ly/QCD9Ul