El Griot & Areito ProjecT
is an educator learning space grounded in ethnic studies
Who We Are
El Griot & Areito Project (EGAP) is a grassroots collective of mostly Chicago educators, young people and families who curate and offer learning experiences around ethnic studies. While we lead with Boricua studies, we also honor the interconnectedness of all black, indigenous and other folks of colors’ stories to all of us. We are moved to do this work because of the healing and empowering impact ethnic studies has had on us, our students and our children.
What We Ground In
Boriken Independence. We believe in Puerto Rican independence from U.S. imperial rule and profit and support the independence of all occupied lands and peoples.
Community Care. We co-build trust through our actions and actively work to be in right relations with ourselves, each other and others. We are a space of fugitivity for the purposes of thriving, healing the seven generations before us and the seven generations after us and for ultimate cross ethnic, racial and gender solidarity.
Love & Resistance. We are rooted in love and reject replicating the toxic, harmful ways oppression is justified in social justice movements through bullying, shaming, patriarchy, misogyny, hoarding and overworking.
Our Freedom Dream
Stories and practices of resistance, liberation and solidarity surround us all - young people, educators, families, elders - with such overwhelming abundance, it becomes the norm, teaches us truth and makes us indigenous to each other, ourselves and the land.
Our name
Griots are West African storytellers who are responsible for holding their community’s stories and history. As the Puerto Rican author, Dhalma Llanos-Figeroa says in her book, Daughters of the Stone, “They (the village) believed that if you forgot where you came from, you wouldn’t understand where you were or where you were going.” Griots hold the great gift of sharing the peoples’ stories.
Areitos are Taino ceremonies for celebrations that include dance, music, poetry and storytelling. They play a central role in the Taino political and social life and bring people together, in circle, to co-create, co-celebrate and co-analyze their lives and community.
We hope to honor Boricua ancestral wisdom by creating spaces and experiences that embody the spirit of both Griots and Areitos.
Check out our IG page for an explanation of our logo and each symbol.
EGAP FAMILY ALBUM
Lilly Cruz and Theresa Montaño sharing good-byes after two days of powerful learning. (Liberated Ethnic Studies Summer Institute, California State University, July 2023)
LPHS student art project. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
LPHS students analyze Aurora Levins Morales' writing in groups. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
LPHS student art project. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
LPHS student art project. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
Omar Lopez speaking to LPHS students. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
LPHS teacher, Isela Ponce, and Lilly Cruz celebrate LPHS students' work. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
LPHS student art project. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
LPHS student art project. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
LPHS student art project. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
LPHS student art project. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
Omar Lopez with LPHS students after speaking with students. (Lincoln Park High School, June 2023)
Reconnecting since the fall workshop (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Mildred Garcia co-leading our arieto (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Cecily Relucio, founder of Umuwi Ethnic Studies, co-leading our areito (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Mildred Garcia and Cecily Relucio hold circle for us (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Fall workshop teachers brought along colleagues (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Sharing our dreams for our city (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Freedom dreaming collectively (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Freedom dreaming about Chicago (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Freedom dreaming prompt (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Freedom dreaming prompt (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Our dreams for our city. (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Our dreams for our city. (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Our dreams for our city. (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
Closing our areito (Spring Ethnic Studies Areito at La Casa de Cultura on 18th Street, April 2023)
El Griot & Areito Project swag (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Moos Elementary, October 2022)
Noemi Cortes leads our opening areito (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Moos Elementary, October 2022)
Teachers and students read students counter narratives (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Moos Elementary, October 2022)
Johanna Fernandez talks about the Chicago YLO (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Moos Elementary, October 2022)
Edwin Cortés, the father of one of our members joins the learning (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Moos Elementary, October 2022)
Tayler Showalter and two of her students share their experience piloting the curriculum (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Moos Elementary, October 2022)
YLO primary sources teachers explored through inquiry (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Darwin Elementary, October 2022)
Omar Lopez shares his story as the Minister of Information for the Chicago Young Lords (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Darwin Elementary, October 2022)
Asif Wilson kicks off the opening inquiry activity (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Darwin Elementary, October 2022)
Teachers discuss their questions and ideas after the inquiry activity (Teaching the Story of the Chicago Young Lords Fall Workshop at Darwin Elementary, October 2022)
Omar Lopez with CPS students after a talk. (Prescott Elementary, May 2022)
Students engaging with the YLO curriculum. (Prescott Elementary, May 2022)
Tayler Showalter piloting the YLO curriculum with her students. (Prescott Elementary, May 2022)
Students engaging with the YLO curriculum. (Prescott Elementary, May 2022)
Tayler Showalter piloting the YLO curriculum with her students. (Prescott Elementary, May 2022)
Tayler Showalter piloting the YLO curriculum with her students. (Prescott Elementary, May 2022).