AREA Chicago is the result of the labor and energy of over 300 people throughout Chicago (see our contributors and topics for a sense of this range of people and organizations). The project changes its structure dramatically depending on what publication or event is being developed. At times the editor works closely with only a designer and a few volunteers, other times there are guest editors who develop their own process and bring in their own collaborators. Always guiding the project and giving it life, are the advisors and the contributors who write texts for the publications or present at the events.  Outlined below are some of the specific groups and individuals that make the whole project work, from those who have given the financial support to produce the work to the volunteers that help with the smallest details. The easiest way to think of who is AREA Chicago is that there is a basic structure of the publication and events that is always in place – then different combinations of groups and individuals form temporarily to develop each project fully.

AREA Advisory Group
The Advisory Group meets 6x per year for a day-long retreat to brainstorm, plan and reflect on the work of the organization. Within the group there are a number of working groups with specific focus areas including: Editorial Process, Outreach/Programming, and Fundraising. These working groups also meet at least 2x per year.

Current Advisors

Prudence Browne, Isaac Steiner, Abigail Satinsky, Sarah Jane Rhee, Sherry Williams, Claudia Garcia-Rojas, Rozalinda Borcilla, n. sol ireri unzueta carrasco, Gabrielle Toth, Amanda Gutierrez, Rachel Wallis, Dave Pabellon, Frank Edwards,  Sam Barnett, Robin Hewlett, Euan Hague, Jerome Grand, Rebecca Zorach, Jayne Hileman, Nicole Garneau, Martin Macias, Elise Zolkowski, Terry Harris Rudd

Current COREdinators

Robin Hewlett - people, Sam Barnett - distribution and outreach, Martin Macias - content, Claudia Garcia-Rojas - design, Gabrielle Toth - finance, Frank Edwards - communications. 

Current interns

Kimberly Le, Kathy Olsen

Occasional Volunteers
Liz Birch, Kelly Burdick, Phoebe Connelly, Jamillah James, Amanda Guiterrez, Bevin Ross, Alisa Baum, Mary Ellen Obias, Rosie Presti, John Patrick Workman, Naomi Walker, Abby Satinsky, Janice Madrecki, Heather Jurewicz, Gabriel Piemonte, Kevin Coval, Nick Krietman, Rivka Sadarangani, Carrie Spitler, Chris Cutrone

Past Advisers
Annie Knepler, Jim Duignan, Amanda Guiterrez, Micah Maidenberg, Salem Collo-Julin, Martha Boyd, Laurie Palmer, Emily Forman, Tammy Ko Robinson, Demetrio Maguigad, Michelle Vannatta, Brett Bloom, Dan S. Wang, Kristen Cox, Claire Pentecost, Alex Blanchette, Lisa Sousa, Aaron Sarver, Cassie Fennel, Nance Klehm, Erica Meiners, Karen Reyes, Eric Triantafillou, Laurie Jo Reynolds, Lisa Lee, Dakota Brown, Beth Gutelius, Charles Vinz, David Marques, David Omotoso Stovall, Ryan Hollon, Daniel Tucker, Lee Ann Norman, Ashley Weger, Therese Quinn, Mairead Case

Past Interns Veronica Schubow, Monica Barra, Ashley Weger, Sarah Smizz

Collaborations
AREA works with numerous other groups and organizations by showcasing their accomplishments, interviewing their staff, presenting activist histories from which they can learn, and helping facilitate conversations among them. In addition to the printed output, workshops about publishing have been given in local high schools like Howard Area Alternative High School and Big Picture High School and youth media centers like Video Machete and Young Chicago Authors.  The publication is distributed to many teachers to use as a reading/discussion tool with young Chicagoans. Every month an email newsletter of 10-20 local events entitled “Another Chicago” is sent to our email list of over 600 local organizers, educators and cultural workers. AREA also regularly hosts and co-sponsors public events related to our contributors’ practices throughout Chicago. AREA events have been co-sponsored by such groups and organizations as the Neighborhood Writing Alliance, 49th Street Underground, Stockyard Institute, Hyde Park Art Center, Jane Addams Hull House, Critical Artware, Polvo Gallery, Mess Hall, Experimental Station, Lumpen, Southside Community Arts Center, St. Paul Cultural Center, and many more.

Funders
In its first 5 years, AREA has received financial support from the combined sources of our “Wants and Needs” benefit auction, a 20x20 art sale (20 word for $20), the Stockyard Institute, Fire This Time Fund, Synapses Foundation, The Graham Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, private donors, Peace Party, Lisa Yun Lee, and Crossroads Fund.

It takes $7,000 to put out an issue ($4,500 for Labor and $2,500 for printing). If you would like to make a tax- deductible donations to AREA, make checks payable to Experimental Station and mail to AREA Chicago PO Box #476971 Chicago IL 60647 (write AREA in the memo line). To make an online donation, visit http://www.areachicago.org/donate/

We also encourage you to share other resources like free office space, printing, computers, food, your skills, cars for delivering the publication, and many more things we cannot anticipate until you step up and propose them. Thanks for your generosity!