Listening Hours with Ayana Contreras: Energy Never Dies

On Saturday, August 8, from 5 PM - 8 PM, we invite you to share space with us for a special Listening Hours session welcoming Ayana Contreras back to A Listening Space, where she'll dig into the music that helped inspire her 2021 book, Energy Never Dies: Afro-optimism & Creativity in Chicago.

Ayana Contreras is a cultural historian, memory worker, radio DJ, and archivist. An avid vinyl collector with over 10,000 vintage records, for over a decade, she hosted the Reclaimed Soul program on Vocalo Radio (and later, on WBEZ) in Chicago. She currently hosts Soulful Strut Saturday afternoons on KUVO Jazz in Denver, Colorado. Specializing in all-vinyl rare groove, jazz, funky disco, and sample sets, she has DJed for the Vans Channel 66, Red Bull Music Presents, Gilles Peterson Presents: International Anthem on Worldwide FM, countless galleries, museums, and venues nationwide, as well as at residencies across Chicago at Dorian’s, Pilsen Yards, and Bronzeville Winery.

Contreras is also the current curator of AESOP (An Extended Song of Our People), a Rebuild original project that created a DJ Booth at the 95th Street Red Line CTA Station, bringing public music and performance to travelers on Chicago’s far South Side.

Please reserve your spot as space is limited.

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About Energy Never Dies

From Afro Sheen to Theaster Gates and from Soul Train to Chance the Rapper, Black Chicago draws sustenance from a culture rooted in self-determination, aspiration, and hustle. In Energy Never Dies, Ayana Contreras embarks on a journey to share the implausible success stories and breathtaking achievements of Black Chicago's artists and entrepreneurs. Past and present generations speak with one another, maintaining a vital connection to a beautiful narrative of Black triumph and empowerment that still inspires creativity and pride. Contreras weaves a hidden history from these true stories and the magic released by undervalued cultural artifacts. As she does, the idea that the improbable is always possible emerges as an indestructible Afro-Optimism that binds a people together.

Passionate and enlightening, Energy Never Dies uses the power of storytelling to show how optimism and courage fuel the dreams of Black Chicago.

About Listening Hours

Continuing our investment in the sonic architecture of Black space, Listening Hours welcomes all to gather with us in space, sound, and silence. Each session invites you to join our team and special guests as we deepen our presence and aural attention with each of their record selections.

Listening hours are held every Thursday through Saturday from 12 PM to 8 PM. We look forward to welcoming you as we honor listening as a form of study, grounding, and becoming.

About The Land School

The Land School, a new pedagogical platform at the site of the former St. Laurence Elementary School, proposes a radical model of artistic experimentation and archival stewardship, providing space, time, access, collaborative inquiry, process-driven programming, and performance, all led by an intergenerational cohort of artists, archivists, scholars, craftspeople, cultural workers, and creative organizations invested in culture as a service.

The Land School's Policies and Protocol:

Upon arrival, please enter the building at the entrance on S. Dorchester Ave.

Ride sharing is encouraged as parking is limited. Please be sure to not block the entrances and exits of our neighbors.

Firearms on the premises are strictly prohibited.

No smoking, vaping or incense is permitted inside.

No pets are allowed inside.

No professional photo/video equipment is allowed unless preapproved by Rebuild.

Please be mindful of your neighbors by respecting their personal space and bodily autonomy.

No violence - verbal or physical - will be tolerated. Any guest creating an unsafe environment will be removed from the premises immediately, at the discretion of the Rebuild staff.

We take the safety of our guests seriously. If any guest is found violating these protocols, they may be escorted off the property immediately and will not be welcome to return.

Notice of Photography and Videography

By entering The Land School, you acknowledge and consent to being photographed and/or videotaped. Images and recordings may be used for promotional, archival, or other purposes by the organizers. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please notify a staff member upon arrival. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Thank you for reviewing and honoring The Land School's policies and protocol.

We look forward to welcoming you!