The Light, Collaboraction's Youth Artist-Activist Ensemble, Will Rock Kidzapalooza This Weekend

Collaboraction's turbo-charged Chicago youth artist-activist ensemble The Light will drop their unique mix of art and activism on Lollapalooza's Kidzapalooza stage this Thursday, July 28 at 4 p.m.

The Kidzapalooza stop on The Light's current summer tour will feature these six amazing and talented Chicago youths who have grown their skills as performers and activists this year through Collaboraction's youth artivist mentorship and performance intensive:



Nate Buescher, 14, a talented young dancer, singer, TV and stage actor, and a member of the Chicago Bulls, Bulls' Kidz, from Lincoln Park High School. Nate's social justice focus is celebrating our differences.



Marcus Jackson, 18, a spoken word artist and southside student from Lindblom focusing on community apathy.

The Light's summer tour ends August 18-20 with three consecutive performances on the city's south and west sides through the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks program:

Douglass Park, 1301 S. Sacramento Ave. in North Lawndale

Thursday, August 18, 5-7 p.m.

LaFollette Park, 1333 N. Laramie Ave. in Austin

Friday, August 19, 5-7 p.m.

Hamilton Park, 513 W. 72nd St. in Englewood

Saturday, August 20, 5-7 p.m.

Currently, Collaboraction is in the final selection stage for year two of The Light. The second year cohort will make their Light debut during the Night Out in the Parks Tour in August. They'll then work to develop their art and activism over the next year with Collaboraction Company Member and lead mentor for The Light, Carolyn Hoerdemann, rapper and community activist FURY, aka Samantha Jordan, teaching artist for The Light, and individual mentors from Chicago's performing arts and social justice community.



Phallon and Kyra Pierce, 15, identical twins and amazing dancers from Bolingbrook, who have a bill on the Illinois House Floor, called The Pierce Twins Law, that would ensure K-12 curriculums throughout Illinois will include books written by diverse authors.



Ella Rae, 19, a singer/storyteller from Wicker Park named a Rising Star of Chicago by the City of Chicago in 2019. Ella Rae is focused on mental health awareness.

Ava Lynn Trpeski, 16, from Crown Point, Indiana, whose focus is body positivity and confronting the stigma of what a dancer should look like.

Thursday's Kidzapalooza appearance comes on the heels of The Light's head-turning, crowd-stopping shows earlier this month at Navy Pier's Fresh Fest and the Silver Room Block Party.

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