Running Tour of Don’t Go with Tonika Lewis Johnson
About this Event
Join Read & Run Chicago and Tonika Lewis Johnson in Englewood on Sunday, July 12 at 9:00 AM for a three-mile running tour or biking tour (s/o BFF Bikes!) inspired by by Tonika Lewis Johnson and Maria Krysan.
is a photographer, social justice artist, and 2025 MacArthur Fellow whose participatory art projects illuminate how systemic disinvestment and segregation shape and impact our lives and neighborhoods while empowering residents to confront and disrupt these inequities.
Throughout the running or biking tour, you’ll experience Englewood through Tonika’s lens, exploring the spaces that shaped her activism and work like the award-winning , , and .
After the running or biking tour, stick around for snacks, social time, and activities with Read & Run Chicago at [Go Green Community Fresh Market (1207 W. 63rd)].
As this is a running tour, there is no pre-reading required. If you’re interested in reading by Tonika Lewis Johnson and Maria Krysan, you can borrow from a local branch of the Chicago Public Library or .
Here’s the full schedule:
- 8:45 AM – Gather at Go Green Community Fresh Market (1207 W. 63rd)
- 9:00 AM – Program begins
- 9:10 AM – Running and biking tour routes begin
- 10:30 AM – Snacks and social time at Go Green Community Fresh Market (1207 W. 63rd)
Prefer to skip the run? Skip the run and choose the right ticket: bike tour with BFF Bikes.
INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAN: If it becomes unsafe to run or cycle outside, we will hold a modified version of the event indoors starting at the same time, 9:00am. You will be notified via email no later than 8am on Sunday, July 12 if there are any changes to the event.
The TL;DR:
DOORS OPEN: Doors open at Go Green Community Fresh Market (1207 W. 63rd) at 8:45 AM. Check in, make a name tag, purchase merch, and mingle with other readers & runners.
ROUTE: The 3-mile route (11:00-12:00 min/mile run or 12-14mph bike ride) features stops corresponding to Tonika Lewis Johnson's life, work, and the book Don't Go.
POST-TOUR: A post-run celebration with snacks and drinks will be held at Go Green Community Fresh Market (1207 W. 63rd).
All ticket holders will receive reminder emails and details 2 days and 4 hours prior to the event.
About your host and author:
is a community organization managed under Read & Run Tours. Founded in 2021, the mission is simple: to use movement and stories to explore Chicago. Programming includes free community meetups like book swaps and reading nights, plus what the organization is most known for: book-themed guided runs where stories take place, all inspired by books set in Chicago, mostly written by local authors. Read & Run Chicago’s ultimate goal is to help Chicagoans better connect with themselves, each other, and the physical spaces they call home. Along the way, Read & Run Chicago champions literacy initiatives, local nonprofits, public libraries, independent bookstores, and the writers who bring Chicago’s communities to life. They’ve hosted over 120 events featuring 30+ authors and local experts and have been highlighted by CNN, Runner’s World, Midwest Living, NBC’s Chicago Today, FOX32 Good Day Chicago, WGN Radio, Block Club Chicago, and more. More information at readandrunchicago.com, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Tonika Lewis Johnson: Tonika Lewis Johnson is a photographer, social justice artist, and 2025 MacArthur Fellow whose participatory art projects illuminate how systemic disinvestment and segregation shape and impact our lives and neighborhoods while empowering residents to confront and disrupt these inequities. Her seminal project, Folded Map, visually and physically brings together residents—known as “map twins”—who live on the same street name but miles apart on Chicago’s racially and economically divided North and South Sides, creating space for in-person conversations that reveal both structural inequality and personal commonality. Johnson’s multidisciplinary practice spans photography, mapping, multimedia storytelling, and public art, and includes public installations such as Inequity for Sale and reparative, resident-driven initiatives like UnBlocked Englewood. Her work has been exhibited at major cultural institutions nationwide. She holds a BA from Columbia College Chicago and an MBA from National-Lewis University and is a co-founder of the Englewood Arts Collective.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
