Englewood Celebrates MacArthur Fellow Tonika Lewis Johnson with Community Event at Kennedy-King College (Chicago, IL) – Kennedy-King College and community members in Englewood will gather this week to honor artist and activist Tonika Lewis Johnson, who was recently named a 2025 MacArthur Foundation Fellow. The free public celebration will take place Friday, November 7, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the college’s Center of Equity for Creative Arts (CECA), located at 740 W. 63rd Street.
Johnson, an Englewood native, is known for her work documenting and challenging segregation, disinvestment, and inequity in Chicago. Her widely recognized projects—including Folded Map, Inequity for Sale, and unBlocked Englewood—use photography, community dialogue, and public art to confront the history and ongoing impact of systemic division between Chicago neighborhoods.
Friday’s event will feature a conversation with Johnson, a screening of The Folded Map Project—The Movie, and a live arts activation led by the Englewood Arts Collective, which she co-founded. Organizers say the evening is designed not only to celebrate Johnson’s accomplishments, but to reflect on the broader movement for creative and community-driven social change across the South Side.
The celebration will also mark the unveiling of a new art installation at Kennedy-King College. Community leaders, collaborators, and attendees will be invited to share messages of appreciation and support for Johnson’s work.
The MacArthur Fellowship—often referred to as the “genius grant”—recognizes individuals who show extraordinary creativity and promise in their fields. Johnson’s award highlights her role in elevating lived experiences of Englewood residents while sparking conversations about race, geography, and belonging in Chicago.
The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Event Details:
Celebrating MacArthur Fellow Tonika Lewis Johnson
Date: Friday, November 7, 2025
Time: 6:30–9 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.)
Location: Kennedy-King College, CECA, 740 W. 63rd St., Chicago
Cost: Free
Englewood Celebrates MacArthur Fellow Tonika Lewis Johnson with Community Event at Kennedy-King College
