Quenna Lené Barrett
Quenna Lené Barrett is a Chicago native, is a theater artist + practitioner whose work gathers folks of diverse backgrounds, centers marginalized identities, learns from Black radical wisdom, and then dreams collectively to act boldly through those learnings. Quenna is a director, performer, facilitator, and writer, specializing in devised and social justice theater.
Tonika Lewis Johnson
Tonika Lewis Johnson is synonymous with bold, transformative art that inspires fresh, critical thinking about Chicago’s history and future. The social justice artist rose to acclaim with her Folded Map Project, which visualized and explored Chicago’s legacy of segregation by introducing residents who live on the same street but 15 miles apart in racially and economically different neighborhoods, calling them “map twins.” She is currently spearheading UnBlocked Englewood, an ambitious effort to rehabilitate an entire block in her home neighborhood, which was harmed by predatory, racist housing practices of the 1950s and ’60s. A 2024 Gordon Parks Foundation Fellow, Tonika opened her first solo exhibit on February 26 at their gallery in New York. She also released her first book, Don’t Go: Stories of Segregation and How to Disrupt It, co-written with Dr. Maria Krysan. The book reveals how generations of Chicagoans have perpetuated fears about the city’s South and West sides by sharing essays of everyday Chicagoans—those who ignored warnings to stay away from “don’t go” neighborhoods and those who live in these very same neighborhoods—exploring the deeply racist roots of these narratives and their ongoing impact.
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble is Chicago’s leading theatre company dedicated to developing and producing groundbreaking theater through a female lens. Rivendell employs women theatre artists, offers mind-expanding experiences with new voices and perspectives, and sparks dialogue and action on critical issues in the lives of women and their communities. Now in its 30th year, Rivendell is recognized as a national force in new play development and a home for women theatre artists.
In collaboration with Tonika Lewis Johnson and her Folded Map Project, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble is creating a new, theatrical production illuminating Johnson's visual work while extending the Folded Map’s message of disrupting segregation. This unusual collaboration between a groundbreaking visual artist and a bold and accomplished theatre company offers exciting opportunities to expand the reach and impact of the Folded Map Project, elevate the story and artwork of photographer and social justice activist Tonika Johnson, uncover historical design and policies that shaped Chicago and scaffolded inequity, and empower thousands more people to follow Tonika’s call to make change. Folded Map™, created by Tonika Lewis Johnson, is a powerful multimedia project connecting residents who live on the same Chicago streets but are separated by 15 miles of racial segregation. Through photographs, video interviews, a documentary, an exhibition, and a play, Johnson challenges viewers to examine the impact of systemic racism on Chicago’s landscape and communities. Folded Map™ sparks vital conversations, inspiring reflection and action toward a more equitable future.
