About
CPS Lives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that pairs Chicago artists, designers, thinkers and makers with a Chicago Public School during the academic year to collaborate on a project, sharing the unique and individual story of each Chicago Public School. Each story will be celebrated and exhibited throughout the city in local Chicago Public Library branches and other exhibition spaces, as well as existing on the CPS Lives social media and website as an accessible digital archive of public school history for students, families, community members, educators, administrators, policymakers & the general public.
The Chicago Public School system is the nations third largest school district, serving over 322,000 students in more than 630 schools. The sheer scale and complexity of the Chicago Public School system renders it opaque to the general public, where stories of its successes and resilience remain untold. This project shows the power of public education in Chicago. Our artists produce artwork that provide a unique window into the Chicago Public School system, generating support and reinforcing belief in the Chicago Public School mission “to provide a high quality public education for every child in every neighborhood”.
Organizers
Suzette Bross (she/her)
Founder & Executive Director
suzettebross@cpslives.com
Sophia Guadalupe Padgett Pérez (she/her/they/them)
Artistic Director
sophiapadgettperez@cpslives.com
Vero Rose Smith
Director of Development
vsmith@cpslives.com
Lissette Bustamante (she/her)
Marketing + Communications Manager
lissettebustamante@cpslives.com
Grace Tenneh Kromah
Associate Director
gracetennehkromah@cpslives.com
Juan Neira (he/him)
Development Consultant
Board of Directors
Molly Kelly
President
Michael T. Noonan
Secretary
Cheri Hubbard
Treasurer
Rhonda Brown
Jenn Dixon
Kelly Costello
Yumi Ross
Marielle Lifshitz
Cyraina Johnson-Roullier
Smita Shah
Michel Frendian
Advisory Board
Susan Aaron
Teri Boyd
Nora Daley
Tricia Van Eck
Terry Evans
Vikki Hood
Karen Krehbiel
Carrie Lannon
Caroline Older
Lori Smedley
Leslie Thomas
Gary Schechner
Matt Siber
Jan Tichy
Jay Wolke
Brooke Hummer
Jeff Phillips
