June! Sitting by the river, riding the ferris wheel at Navy Pier, and keeping civic tech strong in the sunshine. We’re ready for a bright summer — join us for our top picks for local events to keep your brain running in the sun this month:
June 1
The Future of Data
9:00am — 1:30pm
TechNexus Chicago 20 N. Wacker Drive 12th floor, Chicago
A new data-driven world is emerging that has ramifications not only for today, but for the future. This shift will disrupt the status quo and impact both the public and private sectors. In general, data will be a positive force—improving planning and decision making as well as enabling products and services to be better tailored for customers and citizens. However, concerns around privacy, misuse and security of our data are real. Moving forward, we need to create a policy framework that protects data rights while enabling the many benefits of data intelligence. The Future of Data program invites policymakers and business leaders to come together and explore the key issues around this emerging topic.
June 1-3
Global Cities Forum
332 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1100, Chicago
Leaders from around the world – in business, education, civics, and the arts – are converging in Chicago June 1-3 for this dynamic and important conversation on the role and reach of the world’s most influential cities. Cities are driving the news—from financial crises and deteriorating infrastructure to increased urban violence and concerns about terrorist attacks at major international events. The forum will tackle these and other issues head-on, and the Financial Times will publish a special report tomorrow on the future of global cities. Watch the live stream and use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to join the conversation. Ask questions and share your thoughts, photos, and videos by following @ChicagoForum and using #GlobalCities2016.
June 3
Migrahack
8:30am — 5pm
Microsoft Technology Center Chicago, Aon Center 200 E. Randolph Ste 200, Chicago
About 400,000 people are detained over their immigration status every year – twice as many as those held in federal prisons on criminal charges such as murder, sex offenses and extortion.
U.S. policy has evolved over the years to treat many immigrants as criminals. And the immigration enforcement and detention system raises questions similar to that of the criminal justice system: Are people of color being racially profiled? How does enforcement affect police-community relationships? Who is making money from this mass incarceration?
Join us and help uncover the trends and stories hidden in the data at Migrahack, an innovative immigration data hackathon organized by the Institute for Justice & Journalism.
June 3-5
The Center for Neighborhood Technology’s Urban Sustainability Apps Competition
TechNexus Chicago 20 N. Wacker Drive 12th floor, Chicago
The annual CNT Urban Sustainability Apps Competition sparks the fertile minds of individuals from Chicago’s neighborhoods to create digital solutions to real community problems facing residents every day. Over the course of the event, community activists and app developers will work together to create workable prototypes of apps that make our neighborhoods more sustainable, both environmentally and economically. We welcome participants from all corners of the city, whether you’re a local activist working to improve your neighborhood or a coding whiz looking to make a difference in the community.
June 8
Forefront annual luncheon honoring Donald A. Cooke and YoYo Ma
11:15am — 1:30pm
Hyatt Regency Chicago 151 East Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago
Our 42nd Annual Luncheon is the premier gathering of those involved in the social impact sector in Illinois. Although our organization has hosted the Luncheon for 42 years, this is our first year hosting it as Forefront.
At the Luncheon, we will honor Donald A. Cooke’s many contributions to both the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors in Chicago. Don is currently Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and Chair of Forefront’s Board of Directors.
Don will be joined by world-renowned musician — and friend —Yo-Yo Ma, the Judson & Joyce Green Creative Consultant at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, to discuss how both have experienced professional “reinventions” and kept their work fresh and relevant.
The Luncheon is open to all, regardless of Membership in Forefront.
June 10-12
Blues Fest
11:00am — 9:30pm daily
Grant Park, Jackson & Columbus, Chicago
The Chicago Blues Festival is the largest free blues festival in the world and remains the largest of Chicago’s Music Festivals. During three days on five stages, more than 500,000 blues fans prove that Chicago is the “Blues Capital of the World.” Past performers include Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, B.B. King, the late Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and the late Koko Taylor.
June 16
The Center for Neighborhood Technology’s Sustain-a-City Celebration
6:00pm — 9:00pm
Comcast Xfinity Studio 901 W Weed St, Chicago
Join us to celebrate CNT’s work! The Sustain-A-City Celebration will bring together CNT’s friends and supporters from across the urban sustainability spectrum who promote livable and sustainable urban communities for all. The evening will feature pitches from the top finalists of our Urban Sustainability Apps Competition, which amplifies the impact of grassroots problem solvers by pairing community members with coders to create scalable, app-based solutions to neighborhood issues. Our team of judges will pick the competition’s winners, and you’ll get to help decide who should take home the People’s Choice Award.
Judges confirmed for the final presentations include Brenna Berman, CIO, City of Chicago; Shelley Stern Grach, Director—Civic Engagement Chicago, Microsoft; Dr. Janice Jackson, Chief Education Officer, Chicago Public Schools, and the Hon. Toni Preckwinkle, President, Cook County Board. You’ll have a chance to vote too on the People’s Choice Award will be selected by the audience.
June 21
Ferris Buehler’s Day off anniversary free movie in Millennium Park
6:30pm
Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago
Chicagoans and visitors alike are invited to enjoy outdoor movies downtown as the popular Summer Film Series returns to Millennium Park, Tuesdays, June 21 – August 30, at 6:30pm. Guests may take a seat at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or lounge on the Great Lawn as crowd-pleasing movies are presented on a state-of-the-art, 40-foot LED screen.
June 20-26
TechWeek Chicago
Merchandise Mart 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago
Techweek is a week long technology festival for entrepreneurs, tech visionaries and thought leaders to meet and enable the innovation ecosystem across the globe. Techweek was founded 5 years ago in Chicago to showcase and support Chicago’s unheralded emerging tech ecosystem, Techweek draws attendees that are an attractive demographic ideal for recruiters and marketers alike.
June 26
Chicago Pride Weekend consists of a two-day festival and our world-famous parade.
The two-day festival takes place along Chicago’s famed Halsted strip on Saturday, June 18, 2016 and Sunday, June 19, 2016.
The parade takes place over a four-mile route on Sunday, June 26, 2016.
June 28 – Adam Hecktman’s 50th birthday!!!
June 29
Points of Light Conference Detroit
Cobo Center 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit
Points of Light’s Conference on Volunteering and Service is the largest service-related convening of nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders in the world. Each year, thousands of people who really care about the future of volunteer service convene in one place – to learn from, share with and get inspired by one another- to work together to increase the number of volunteers in the world and the impact of the work they do.
Shelley Stern Grach will be speaking on a panel on Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Detroit.