Street-Level Youth Media Devastated By Fire
Early Sunday, October 12th 2008 at around 1:00am, an electrical fire started in the laundry room in the building that Street-Level Neutral Ground and office are housed. Luckily, none of the building residents were harmed. Unfortunately, Neutral Ground sustained most of the damage.
On Monday, October 13th, both Street-Level staff and building residents were allowed to enter to salvage anything ostensibly unharmed by the fire, smoke and water. The building is uninhabitable and we are in the process of moving out.
Street-Level school programs continue at Chicago Public Schools. The audio and radio programs Musicology 1,2, Advanced Artists & Sounding Point are being moved temporarily to Lounge Fidelity Recordings at 411 North Wolcott, Buzzer 1002. Programs LiveWire and Girls Group are canceled for the quarter until further notice.
We're all shocked and deeply saddened. Our kids considered Neutral Ground their second home.
We are currently reviewing our options for rebuilding and starting new.
Our phone number and address remain valid and in use for business. We are warmed by everyone who has sent us their well wishes and keep us in their thoughts.
Thank you.
Peace,
Street-Level
Should you wish to help, you can call Street-Level or give what you can through Network For Good
Street-Level Youth Media educates Chicago's urban youth in media arts and emerging technologies for use in self-expression, communication, and social change. Street-Level's programs build critical thinking skills for young people who have been historically neglected by public policy makers and mass media. Using video and audio production, computer art and the Internet, Street-Level's youth address community issues, access advanced communication technology and gain inclusion
in our information-based society.