Chicago has always been a center for reflection and innovation in the Midwest with the goal of making the world more just and welcoming. Perhaps it’s because of both my personal and institutional interest in the idea that a better world is possible, but right now the need for change is particularly urgent.

As I continue to monitor the economic, social and political impact of the pandemic, I see my social media feeds devolving into nothing more than emergency GoFundMes and real-time updates on everything from local labor disputes to the war in Gaza. Every day, there’s a David Byrne-like voice in my head: “How did I get here?”

With the holidays approaching, I think this question is especially poignant. Capitalism and forced rituals of gratitude and community collide with the big-picture accounting (literal and figurative) that happens at the end of a year. All of these things can remind us of what isn’t working in our lives and, by extension, the world we live in. Or we can feel overwhelmed by fake optimism, as well as all the ways we could be kinder, more generous, more supportive, and more present.

When these thoughts overwhelm me, as they often have lately, I think of the wisdom shared in recovery spaces, such as “One day at a time.” Change happens both quickly and slowly. Each day is an opportunity to make choices that affect the people we want to be, the communities we want to foster, and the world we want to share. Most outcomes are not the result of a single decision, but the sum of many, including ones that were not ours. But we can contribute to outcomes in active ways, such as volunteering or protesting. We can also be consciously passive, such as resting or reassessing. Both active and passive work are necessary to sustain ourselves and our relationships with each other and the countries we live in.

I offer these snippets as a perspective on the events I share and continue to offer, especially as we approach the end of the year. What should we do with our world? The older I get, the more I realize: I just don’t know! What I do know, however, is that it’s good to be generous with our resources, including time and curiosity. And it’s good to know our limits and also make room for play, frivolity and relaxation. Here are some suggestions for both.

Art Works: How organizers and artists work together to create a better world
New Press, hardcover, 248 pages, $26.99, thenewpress.com

On Thursday, November 16, the Seminary Co-op (5751 N. Woodlawn) hosted a conversation between Sulma Arias of the People’s Action Institute and movement strategist Ken Grossinger about Grossinger’s book Art Works: How organizers and artists work together to create a better world. Grossinger’s book covers both the sophisticated and less sophisticated art worlds, examining historical moments dating back to the Vietnam War when art and organization intersected. How were these collaborations successful and why? What lessons can we learn from them for the future? The book is available at semcoop.com.

Beyond the frame: 376 Days (Nick Cave: Keep it up) And Chronicle of a summer day
Fri. 17.11., 6:30 pm, Hamilton Park Cultural Center, 513 W. 72nd, free

On Friday, November 17, the Hamilton Park Cultural Center will screen two short films: 376 Days (Nick Cave: Keep It Movin’) And Chronicle of a summer day. The former focuses on the life and work of multimedia fashion designer Nick Cave and how they culminated in his retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago last year. The latter is about a floral installation in Bronzeville by John Caleb Pendleton that celebrated Juneteenth in 2021. Both works use elements of a collage-like narrative and poetic imagery to explore self-definition, community storytelling, and the beauty of the South Side. The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to all. It will be followed by a panel discussion with 376 Days director Claude-Aline T. Nazaire-Miller and members of the Bronzeville Collective (producers of Chronicle of a Summer Day).

Similarities Film screening and panel discussion
Sat., Nov. 18, 8 p.m., Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport, $9-100

The next day, Saturday, November 18, Music Box will host a screening of Similaritiesa documentary about the regenerative agriculture movement, which offers sustainable and climate-conscious solutions to restore soil health and produce nutrient-dense food in abundance. The screening begins at 8 p.m., followed by a panel discussion with filmmakers Josh and Rebecca Tickell. Tickets are $12 ($9 for Music Box members). $100 gets you VIP access to a reception held before the screening featuring the filmmakers and local food luminaries like Chef Rick Bayless. The reception will feature regeneratively grown food, local beer, and cocktails made with locally produced spirits.

I take what she takes: The Jewish Deli
Until April 14, The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, 9603 Woods, Skokie, tickets from $18, information at ilholocaustmuseum.org

Through April 14, 2024, the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center (9603 Woods, Skokie) is hosting an exhibit on the history and significance of Jewish delis called “I’ll Take What She’s Having: The Jewish Delicatessen.” Delis were not only a cultural lifeline for Holocaust survivors in the U.S., but they also provided a way to fuse Central and Eastern European foods with American cuisine to create economic opportunity. Tickets to the museum start at $18 with discounts for children, students and seniors, but admission is free on the last Friday of November and December. On those days (November 24 and December 29), Once Upon a Bagel will host a pop-up shop at lunchtime, offering modern deli fare for purchase.

FORTS! Build your own adventure. FORTRESSES!
Until November 26, Saturdays 1:00 and 3:30 p.m., Sundays 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor, Gelncoe, $20, tickets at writerstheatre.org

I wasn’t kidding when I told you to take time to laze around. Until November 26, the Writers Theatre in Glencoe is hosting FORTS! Build your own adventure. FORTRESSES! is an interactive theatre experience that reader Writer Marissa Oberlander previously described the show as “an hour-long experiment in professionally designed creative play.” To attend, both an adult and child ticket must be purchased ($20 each). The show runs Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. FORTRESSES! takes place at the Gillian Theatre (325 Tudor, Glencoe) and tickets can be purchased on the Writers Theatre website.

Dear readers, can you do me a favor? I would love to hear about an event in our city that you recently attended that you were really grateful for or excited about. Is there something you think others would like to do with you? I would love to hear about that too. Contact me via email.