Chicago Ideas Week’s weekday activities came to a close on Friday with our reimagined premier event, Ideas Day. First, attendees spent the morning hearing from inspiring leaders and creators at the Harris Theater. Jill Soloway and Hannah Gadsby had an enlightening conversation on #metoo and the current landscape, Interfaith Youth Core Founder Eboo Patel spoke about how religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier for division, The Bail Project CEO Robin Steinberg explained how we can can make our justice system fairer, and much more.

Then, in the afternoon, Ideas Day participants took action at the moment of inspiration by hitting the streets, heading to Englewood, Bronzeville, and North Lawndale to tackle volunteer projects that helped strengthen community. Here are some highlights from the activities participants took part in.

Ideas Day volunteers at the at the DuSable Museum of African American History helped get the museum’s new Roundhouse ready.

Ideas Day volunteers in Englewood helped built benches for a new community space.

Over in North Lawndale, Ideas Day volunteers created welcome packages of household essentials for new members of the community.

A little rain didn’t stop Ideas Day volunteers from completing the last planting of the year on the rooftop garden of the Urban Juncture community space in Bronzeville.

Creating murals for neighborhood schools brought Ideas Day volunteers together in Englewood.