Sweet Water Foundation
2024 Annual Summary
10 Years at The Commonwealth
A Decade of Re-Storying the Nature of Hope
"What if…?”
What if neighborhood development took place on a human scale,
fueled by the critical connections that cultivate relationships and
a collective commitment to do the necessary work?
2024 | Re-Storying the Nature of Hope
Throughout 2024, we cultivated The Commonwealth as a Regenerative Neighborhood Node
2024 was a year of profound growth and connection for Sweet Water Foundation (SWF), a year during which we celebrated a decade of cultivating The Commonwealth and re-storying the nature of hope through the creation of a dynamic Regenerative Neighborhood Node.
A Regenerative Neighborhood Node is a vibrant community hub that fosters dynamic interactions and the exchange of essential resources, such as food, knowledge, and energy. It acts as a catalyst for communication, learning, and the co-creation of solutions, promoting a flourishing and regenerative community.
We began by embracing the spirit of Sankofa…
True to our annual ritual, we began the year immersed in the practice of Sankofa – reaching back to retrieve essential values at risk of being forgotten. This practice paved the way as we sought to cultivate a thriving Regenerative Neighborhood Node within our community, demonstrating that the true nature of hope is not merely a feeling but a force rooted in action and collective empowerment.
In 2024, our journey began with a re-examination of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), drawing inspiration from Booker T. Whatley’s pioneering work. His Pick Your Own (PYO) community-supported model of regenerative farming was rooted in community, not commerce, a spirit we reclaimed to contrast the commercialized and transactional CSA models common today.
As our team cultivated crops across three hoop houses in the freezing temps of the Chicago winter, we reached back to understand this history, seeking to re-member and re-imagine Whatley’s CSA model. We shifted our language from Community Support Agriculture to "Community Supported Agroecology," which reflects and prioritizes connection to community, knowledge sharing, ecological health, and well-being.
through the Fourth Annual Sankofa Living Memories Series…
Our fourth annual Sankofa Living Memories series in February brought these ideas to life, creating new stories to re-story the nature of hope.
“To poison a nation, poison its stories. A demoralised nation tells demoralised stories to itself. Beware of the storytellers who are not fully conscious of the importance of their gifts and who are irresponsible in the application of their art.”
“Some people say when we are born we’re born into stories. I say we’re also born from stories.”
Similar to previous years, the series featured three sessions that focused on [Re]Membering, [Re]Generation, and [Re]Mediation. We shared meals with neighbors, listened to stories from elders, unearthed untold histories, and practiced Civic Arts. This series showcased the essence of a regenerative neighborhood node: growing food year-round, sharing recipes and knowledge, nurturing creativity, and fostering a sense of belonging.
Drawing inspiration from the much-overlooked and undervalued educator and community health advocate Virginia Estelle Randolph, we integrated food, health, and "industrial arts" into the 2024 Sankofa Living Memories series, creating spaces where learners of all ages could connect with the land and each other. This commitment was beautifully illustrated through our Seeding the Future program with Beasley Academic Center, a neighborhood K-8 elementary school. We welcomed their 2nd-grade classrooms to Civic Arts Church to participate in the second annual Sankofa Living Memories Collage Project. Under the theme of "I Am My Ancestors' Wildest Dreams," students used mixed media collage to celebrate Sankofa, creating portraits of themselves and their ancestors that showcased their unique strengths and talents. These powerful collages were displayed in the Gallery at Civic Arts Church throughout the year.
2nd grade students making Sankofa Collages via SWF's Seeding the Future Program
Collage workshop in Civic Arts Church as part of SWF’s annual Sankofa Civic Arts project.
2nd grade students making Sankofa Collages at SWF Civic Arts Church via SWF's Seeding the Future Program.
Sankofa bird being drawn on Think-Do House chalkboard.
2nd grade students seeing their Sankofa Collages displayed in Gallery at Civic Arts Church.
Beasley 2nd grade students featured as artists on the Community Connections Wall at SWF Civic Arts Church.
and continued nourishing community into Spring as we reconnected with Values-Based Partners,…
The Sankofa series ignited a spark of excitement for the coming spring and summer, inspiring a wave of activity at The Commonwealth and beyond.
For the second consecutive March, we traveled to Detroit for our annual Communiversity Convergence, connecting with Values-Based Partners for a collaborative Build-It Workshop and community gathering at Freedom Dreams. The journey coincided with a keynote lecture on Re-Mapping the Publics by SWF Executive Director Emmanuel Pratt at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning.
In April, we traveled to Pittsburgh for another Communiversity Convergence and Build-It Workshop with Values-Based Partner, Sankofa Village Projects (SVP). This two-day convergence catalyzed new relationships at Sankofa Village Community Garden, engaging SVP community members and students/faculty from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh in garden clean-up and the construction of new furniture, including SWF's newly designed Neighborhood Market Stand.
cultivated The Commonwealth,…
In addition to our annual ritual of cultivating life to fill the Community Farm and Gardens, we deconstructed and rebuilt 20 garden beds to refresh the Community Garden and rehearse for Spring Convergences with Values-Based Partners. From February to April, the SWF team also focused on stewarding The Prairie – SWF’s nature reserve and micro prairie – in its second year, growing and transplanting native forbs and grasses from seed, clearing out new areas, establishing the Council Circle, and refreshing the soil with compost. These efforts were intentionally aligned with SWF’s Spring 2024 RND Research Internship program, through which interns contributed to The Prairie site analysis, created cue cards on native prairie plants, and conducted research to contextualize the value of micro-prairies in an urban context.
and launched Wellness Wednesdays.
Inspired by this momentum, we launched "Wellness Wednesdays" in late April, continuing them through the end of September. For over 20 weeks, every Wednesday during peak growing season, SWF welcomed our community network and volunteers to work the land, engage in civic arts, and share a farm-to-table meal. More than 500 visitors, community members, and volunteers joined us throughout the summer for this weekly celebration of growth, connection, and nourishment.
After sharing in labor and a delicious meal, guests were invited to join SWF’s weekly ritual of practicing Civic Arts via the Summer 2024 Civic Arts Workshop series held at Civic Arts Church. Led by SWF team members and Humans-in-Residence, including SWF Global Ambassador and Board Member Dr. Derise "Mama Afua" Tolliver, Charles Pryor, and Rhonda Long, workshops included painting with mulberry ink, a collage workshop, and printmaking.
20+
WEEKS
FARM TO TABLE MEALS
500+
PARTICIPANTS
IN WELLNESS WEDNESDAY
WEEKLY
CIVIC ARTS WORKSHOPS
DURING SUMMER 2024
6
CITY BLOCKS
CULTIVATED BY SWF
Throughout the year, the Communiversity flourished as Regenerative Node,…
Throughout 2024, the work of The Communiversity was woven into every aspect of SWF, with The Commonwealth serving as its vibrant, biodynamic campus. Through hands-on experiences, The Communiversity embodied our commitment to intergenerational learning and community engagement, connecting students, neighbors, and learners of all ages.
The Seeding the Future program continued to nurture a love for learning and connection to the natural world in more than 100 students from nearby elementary, Beasley Academic Center. SWF has engaged Beasley second-grade students, teachers, and their families since 2019 in hands-on learning experiences that follow the seed-to-table process and expose participants to a wide range of academic disciplines and essential life skills (e.g., biology, math, gardening, nutrition, etc.). Throughout the year, students participated in a variety of activities at The Commonwealth, from being featured artists of the Sankofa Living Memories collage project in winter to seeding and transplanting flowers and vegetables in spring, attending the annual Juneteenth Celebration and Neighborhood Markets in summer, and planting tulips in fall.
The Communiversity welcomed the Spring and Fall cohorts of the remote RND Research Program. The Spring 2024 intern cohort focused on The Prairie, SWF's nature reserve and micro-prairie, exploring its potential as a regenerative solution to the vast swaths of vacant land found across cities nationwide. The Fall 2024 cohort focused on the Shelf of Life, examining the environmental toll of corporate seedling and houseplant industries and the regenerative possibilities of SWF’s Shelf of Life to localize plant cultivation and reclaim our knowledge and wisdom of plant life.
In the summer, the Urban Ecology Global Summer Fellowship program brought together nine individuals, each with unique experiences and perspectives, to engage deeply with Regenerative Neighborhood Development. Fellows were immersed in an intensive 10-week experience, engaging in the daily praxis of RND activities, including farming, gardening, carpentry, historic and cultural preservation, woodworking, architecture, art, and design. Beyond hands-on work, Fellows participated in daily seminars and were challenged to engage in a new form of human development as lifelong learners through solution-oriented work, research, and reflection. Through this work, they developed an understanding of SWF and its surrounding community and explored the fundamentals of urban ecology alongside residents, artists, educators, and youth.
9
URBAN ECOLOGY GLOBAL SUMMER FELLOWS
12
SPRING & FALL
RND RESEARCH INTERNS
8
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES REPRESENTED
15
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES & BACKGROUNDS
Fall Communiversity offerings were plentiful, including a course co-led with Lake Forest College (LFC) titled "Interrogating the Ecology of Place: From Generative AI to Regenerative Neighborhood Development." This semester-long course explored generative artificial intelligence (AI), urban design, and urban ecology. It brought together undergraduate students who met weekly at The Commonwealth or LFC's campus.
In addition to these core programs, The Communiversity hosted a variety of immersive experiences throughout the year. Students and faculty from institutions such as Howard University, Lake Forest College, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Oneida Nation participated in enriching, hands-on Immersions at The Commonwealth. In June, we welcomed Values-Based Partners from across the country for a one-week Leadership Training Program, where they learned, shared, and exchanged practices ranging from gardening and carpentry to civic arts and the Essential Economy. Two Communiversity alumni also completed a 3-month Translators-in-Residence program, adapting SWF's RND practices and programming to their space at Mama Moore Re-Generation Center on Chicago’s South Side. Furthermore, Catalyst events introduced The Commonwealth and RND to diverse groups, including youth and community practitioners from Detroit, teens across Chicago, international guests from the National University of Singapore and Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam, and students from Northwestern University, Simpson Academy for Young Women, and Malcolm X College.
leading to a vibrant Summer at The Commonwealth...
Summer engagement also flourished through the SWF Neighborhood Market, held every Friday from Mother's Day through Thanksgiving. The Neighborhood Market embodies our "What If?" ethos, answering the question: What if our markets are places of nourishment – through relationships grown, food shared, art created, knowledge shared, and memories built? It goes beyond the quality, accessibility, and diversity of produce and products. The Neighborhood Market catalyzes new relationships and re-roots neighborhood relations that have been limited to consumer-producer and currency exchange dynamics.
with Neighborhood Markets…
SWF’s Neighborhood Market offerings change with the seasons, featuring vegetable, herb, and flower seedlings in May through early June and fresh, seasonal produce every Friday from May to October, feeding more than 400 people weekly.
This year's market was particularly regenerative because of dozens of new heirloom vegetable varieties introduced by the SWF team and the addition of the Prop Shop, a homeschool-inspired pop-up shop focused on the regenerative nature of plants. The Prop Shop showcased plant propagation through cuttings from mother plants, inspiring the creation of Prop Blocks and the Fall 2024 Propagation Regeneration Experiment. Crafted from 2"x4" wood scraps, Prop Blocks extend the life cycle of wood while providing a canvas for Civic Arts. Each block holds a glass or plastic vial that allows us to witness the propagation of cuttings through root growth, embodying the cyclical nature of regeneration.
Prop Blocks were a civic art activity throughout the fall, decorated by hundreds of students, visitors, and Values Based Partners. Prop Blocks are now activated and displayed at schools, colleges, and organizations across the country, from Simpson Academy for Young Women in Chicago to Lake Forest College to Up Academy in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Summer also featured new design + build projects and activations across The Commonwealth, including the Caterpillar and Shade Structure in the Healing Garden, the Council Circle in the Prairie, and re-construction of the Hoop Houses in preparation for growing throughout fall and winter.
and Civic Arts Talks fostering connection and creativity.
Summer also marked the debut of the inaugural Civic Arts Talks at Civic Arts Church, a new Sweet Water Communiversity series that brought together community members, artists, and academics to share their work through talks, performances, and workshops, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and critical connections at The Commonwealth.
Beginning in July, monthly Civic Arts Talks featured inspiring figures like social practice artist Rick Lowe, renowned scholars Imani Perry and Robin D.G. Kelley, and an intergenerational group from the Oneida Nation. These talks sparked conversations about the intersection of art, community, and social practice, the power of freedom dreaming, and the importance of land restoration and storytelling.
Each talk culminated in a hands-on Civic Arts Workshop, where participants engaged in activities like collage, nature printing, and creating smudge sticks and "Prop Blocks." In October, the series welcomed students from a "Commoning the City" course at Carnegie Mellon University led by Associate Professor Stefan Gruber, who joined the SWF community for an immersive experience in commoning, carpentry, and civic arts.
The spirit of collaboration continued in the Fall with Community Building Workshops,
As summer transitioned to fall, this spirit of collaboration continued to permeate our work.
Our "Wellness Wednesdays" evolved into “Workshop Wednesdays,” becoming vibrant hubs of community building, where we transformed discarded materials into beautiful and functional furniture, breathing new life into old resources and forging bonds in the process.
These Community Building Workshops weren't just about acquiring skills; they were about reclaiming our collective power and redefining the meaning of work. Through building, we learned that true value lies not just in monetary gain but in the relationships we cultivate, the knowledge we share, and the contributions we make to our community.
Constellations & Throughlines Exhibit at SWF Civic Arts Church
Constellations & Throughlines Exhibit inside SWF Civic Arts Church
Constellations & Throughlines inside the nave of the Civic Arts Church.
Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Elders Walking in Wisdom Fashion Show at the Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Elders Walking in Wisdom Fashion Show at the Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Elders Walking in Wisdom Fashion Show at the Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Elders Walking in Wisdom Fashion Show at the Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Elders Walking in Wisdom Fashion Show at the Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Constellations & Throughlines Opening in November 2024.
Culminating in the Constellations & Throughlines exhibit at Civic Arts Church.
A year of community building and cultivating The Commonwealth as a Regenerative Neighborhood Node culminated in a remarkable art exhibit at the Civic Art Church – "Constellations & Throughlines." More than just an exhibition, "Constellations & Throughlines" reflects an ongoing, curated assemblage of artists converging at the Civic Arts Church. It is a constellation of unique creative forces with shared life experiences – through lines – who have cultivated artistic practices and woven together bodies of work over a generation. This dynamic gathering embodies Sweet Water Foundation's essential value of Sankofa and challenges traditional notions of who is an artist and what constitutes valuable artistic expression. Featuring works by four local artists – Ricardia Davis, Rhonda Long, Rudy Taylor, Jr., and Dr. Derise "Mama Afua" Tolliver – each with over two decades of artistic practice, the exhibit highlights the potential for transformation through interconnection, showcasing the often-overlooked brilliance within our community.
Read more about each of the artists, their artwork and throughlines:
10 Years at The Commonwealth
A Deacade of Re-Storying the Nature of Hope
As we celebrate 10 years of Re-Storying the Nature of Hope…
Through our work, we've woven a vibrant tapestry of regeneration and hope. We've created a space where people can connect, learn, and create together, actively re-storying the nature of hope. Hope that is rooted in action, community, and humanity. We've challenged conventional notions of value and demonstrated the power of community-driven solutions. This is what a Regenerative Neighborhood Node looks like. This is what it means to live in the future.
we embrace that “We live in the future.”
It's a statement we often make because, in fact, we are demonstrating new ways of living in response to the myriad crises in our midst. We are living in the future, as demonstrated by the Regenerative Neighborhood Node, which is The Communiversity, and our site, The Commonwealth. The solutions are articulated and lived by the Humans of SWF every day and are shared via The Communiversity on the campus that is The Commonwealth.
As we move forward, we carry with us the lessons of Sankofa and the spirit of collaboration that defined 2024. We are building a future where "regenerative nodes" flourish, the circular economy thrives, and hope takes root in the fertile community ground.
We are living proof that a brighter future is possible, and we invite you to join us in building it.
There GROWS the Neighborhood!
None of this would have been possible without the SWF Team + Family…
SWF Core Team
Emmanuel Pratt
Jia Lok Pratt
Courtney Hug
David Snowdy
Rudy Taylor, Jr.
Kate Mytty
Lucero Flores
Alysse Hines
Phoenix Lewis
Lucas Marqués
Board of Directors
James Godsil, Co-Founder and President Emeritus
Kenneth Fuller, President
Todd Leech, Treasurer
Candis Castillo, Secretary
Dr. Derise “Mama Afua” Tolliver
Angela Ford
Stephen Haymes
and the tremendous generosity of our Supporters and Partners, whose time and financial, material, professional, and relational resources were invaluable.
PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS | ORGANIZATIONS
A2rU / Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities
Alphawood Foundation
Anonymous Family Foundations
Birwood House
Builders Initiative
Carnegie Mellon University
Coalfield Development
Conant Family Foundation
Feedom Freedom Growers
Freedom Dreams
Good Chaos
Illinois Arts Council Agency
Illinois Department of Commerce
James and Grace Lee Boggs Center
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS | INDIVIDUALS
Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor
Alesia Prince-Patterson
Alexy Irving
Amanda Hunt
Andrea Smith
Ann Wood Washington
Auriel Dawson
Barbara Knecht
Bernice Smith
Brian McCammack
Chantelle Brewer
Charles Harris
Charles Moodie
Charles Pryor
Chimaobi Izeogu
Claudio Rodriguez
Corderral Lewis
Dakarai Barclay
Danyson Tavares
Deacon Monroe
Dianne Collins
Dorothy "Mama Sunshine" Lyles
Elizabeth Nordmeyer
Francien van Westrenen
Gina Milum
Gretchen Wilbur
Hailey Matthews
Jonsin for Change
Lake Forest College
Mama Moore Regeneration Center
Mellon Foundation
Nayer Foundation
Nieuwe Instituut
Oneida Nation
Prince Charitable Trusts
Regeneración
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Sankofa Village Projects
Surdna Foundation
The Green Heart Project
The Obsidian Collection
The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
Imani Perry
Irene Sunwoo
Jamila Lewis
Jean Robbins
Jeremy Schaffer
Jesse Blom
Karen Abrams
Karen Thomas
Karen Westrell
Kevin "Coach Kellogg" Jones
Khary Frazier
Kim Sherobbi
Kimberly Wong
Kolenda "Kokoa" Rattler
Lily Song
Lolita Parker Jr
London Parker-McWhorter
Makani Themba
Malika Williams
Mama Agnes Armour
Mama Ayanna Jones
Mama Erma J. Sias Bien-Aime
Mary Wells
Maryrose Flanigan
Monique Thompson
Myrtle Thompson-Curtis
Najiba Yasmin
Nancy Chen
Nelda Ruiz
Nick Guertin
Phil Sims
Rachel Cahan
Renee Spicer
Rhonda Long
Ricardia Davis
Richard Feldman
Rick Lowe
Robert Meeker
Robert Sirianni
Robin Kelly
Ronald Coley
Sam Scardefield
Sandra Oviedo
Sheri D Davis
Stephanie French
Stephen Ward
Tiffany Sharber
Tiffany Williams
Triniti Watson
Veronica Buendia
Victoria Pratt Davis
Whitney Anderson
Will Wauters