Join us to celebrate the completion and dedication of Speak Up! by Dorian Sylvain. This work completes a monumental new mural series in Chicago’s loop celebrating the work of Illinois women activists to obtain the right to vote and recognizing the ongoing struggle for women’s equality.

The newest murals in the series – located at 623 S. Wabash Ave – complete a project begun in 2020 to honor the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which legalized the right for women to vote. The first mural, On the Wings of Change by artist Jasmina Cazacu, features ten local suffrage leaders and is located at 33 Ida B. Wells Drive. It was installed in October 2021.

The second mural was originally to be positioned perpendicular to Wings of Change, but after a two-year disruption by a local property owner who opposed the concept, the work was triumphantly installed in its current location. The artist, Dorian Sylvain, created a text-based accompaniment to the first mural referencing the struggle for equality that continues to this day through the words “I’m Speaking” said by Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2016 Vice Presidential debate.

The third mural, produced by AB Productions features the striking yellow rose and the phrase “Votes for Women,” a symbol and call to arms that was popular during the several decades-long Suffrage movement. The three murals together connect past and current feminist leaders and their achievements. This groundbreaking series is the only large-scale public history tribute in the city of Chicago, and one of the largest projects in the nation to commemorate the decades-long fight for women’s inclusion in our democracy.

The dedication for the murals will be held on September 28, 2023 from 5:30-7:00 pm at the Haus event space on the Columbia College campus, 623 S. Wabash, first floor.

This project was made possible with donations from individual supporters and Chicago Foundation for Women, Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker, The Harnisch Foundation, The Field Foundation, University Center, Chicago Women’s History Center, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.