In addition to our celebrations, the 25th Anniversary Weekend must be a gathering where we learn and strategize. We are facing rising fascism, climate catastrophe and widening economic inequality. There is a role for everyone in our movement, so we hope you’ll learn with us at our 25th Anniversary Panel Discussions and workshops - all of which will be online and in person!
Friday, October 24th
4:30-6pm (Online & In Person) - Writing and Zine Making Workshop - JOIN ON ZOOM HERE
Led by Dr. Meadow Jones and the School for Designing a Society
Who’s this for? The workshop invites two audiences in particular:
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- Folks who want to learn about the IMC’s history and the role the School for Designing a Society (SDAS) played in shaping our organization and founders!
- Participants from the School for Designing a Society (SDAS) are invited to reflect on the school and create art for a zine.
All are invited to kick off our 25th Anniversary with creative making! Join literary artist, trauma expert and facilitator Meadow Jones to explore your emotions and experiences through writing. The workshop will cultivate a sense of community among participants, enhancing the creative process and helping us connect across generations. A remote participation option will also be available.
Saturday, October 25th
4-4:30pm (Online & In Person) - Acknowledgment Ceremony - WATCH ON YOUTUBE
We welcome everyone to participate and join us in song, a collective breath, and the naming of those whose work has shaped us.
At our 25th Anniversary, we make explicit our practice of gratitude through this Acknowledgement Ceremony. We will present a plaque of our founders and lifetime members. We will also honor Belden Fields, a new ancestor, who we will be adding to our Activist Mural.
Cultural organizing invites us to integrate art and culture into our strategies for social change. We’ll ask our panel of local leaders how their cultural roots inform their work and why we need cultural organizing to grow our movements. Panelists include Danielle Chynoweth, one of IMC’s founders, whose forthcoming book Remaking Democracy: How We Make the Worlds We Want features the IMC and several projects that took root in our space.
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- Dr. Gus Wood - UIUC Department of Labor and Employment Relations
- Danielle Chynoweth - IMC Founder & Cunningham Township Supervisor
- Magdalena Novoa Echaurren - UIUC Department of Urban and Regional Planning
- Maria Jimenez - Immigrant Services of CU
- Dua Aldasouqi - CU Muslim Action Committee
- Miriam Larson, Moderator - Urbana Champaign Independent Media Center
- David Michael Moore, Graphic Recording
Sunday, October 26th, 2025
10am (Online & In Person) - Introduction to Indymedia: Storytelling and Collage with Free Brunch!
Hosted by: Marisa Hicks-Alcaraz (UCIMC and Makerspace Urbana Memory Lab) and Danielle Chynoweth (UCIMC) - JOIN ON ZOOM HERE
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- Learn about Indymedia history or remix your own Indymedia materials
- Explore creative collage and mixed-media storytelling techniques.
- Experiment with archival and found materials to tell a story about the IMC.
- Try out Makerspace tools, including our button maker, to craft unique keepsakes
Join us for a hands-on archival storytelling and collage workshop that celebrates the history and spirit of the Independent Media Center (IMC). This session is both for new and experienced folks interested in Indymedia!
Together, we’ll reflect on the legacy of Indymedia, foster intergenerational connections, and create new narratives from archival materials and personal memories. Participants will have the opportunity to make a piece to display in the gallery or take home. If you have them, please bring archival materials from your connection to Indymedia, media democracy, media justice, zines, or DIY journalism. The Makerspace will also be stocked with a variety of paper, scrapbooking, and craft supplies. (If you’d prefer not to use originals, photocopies of 2D materials can be made on-site.) A remote participation option will also be available.
- Moderated by Danielle Chynoweth, Author, Remaking Democracy: How We Make the Worlds We Want (Preorder Here)
- Anita Chan - Author, Predatory Data: Eugenics in Big Tech and Our Fight for an Independent Future
- John Tarleton - Editor-in-chief, Indypendent
- Malav Kanuga - Publisher, Common Notions Press
- Janice Jayes - Editor, Public i Newspaper
- David Michael Moore, Graphic Recording
Independent, non profit and movement publications have always played a vital role to amplify the voices drowned out or disappeared by corporate presses. With the dawning of AI and social media echo chambers, our work to promote critical and independent thought is even more pressing (pun intended). This panel gathers independent publishers from NYC to Philly to Urbana to discuss the vital role of print in the era of mass surveillance and alienation. There will be a remote option for participants.
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