Chicago Ideas Week Launches "Hello" in Partnership with Comcast-NBCUniversal

CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Chicago Ideas Week, the largest affordable ideas festival in the world, is underway with most tickets offered at $15 and more than 150+ events taking place at venues across the city. The seventh annual program runs today through October 22, with speakers including Emmy Award?winning writer Lena Waithe, Whole Foods Co-Founder and CEO John Mackey, and actress & philanthropist Jennifer Garner. Talks range in topics from cybersecurity and love and relationships to the future of football and entrepreneurship.

All week, Chicago Ideas Week is partnering with Comcast-NBCUniversal to inspire conversations throughout the city with the installment of "Hello" Booths. Stationed in 20 locations in neighborhoods across the city, these booths allow individuals to connect face-to-face with others in the city about pressing topics of the day. Each booth is designed by an artist from that neighborhood, and each booth contains custom advanced video conferencing technology by Origin Technology.

"Through the 'Hello' installation, our intention is to build bridges across neighborhoods, and provoke Chicagoans to have honest and vulnerable conversations around topics they may disagree on in hopes of finding common ground," said Chicago Ideas Week Creative Director & Executive Producer Carrie Kennedy. "The 'Hello' project uniquely aligns with the core mission of Chicago Ideas in that it facilitates connections around powerful ideas with the goal of inspiring action."

The "Hello" network will incite discussion around topics that range from criminal justice reform to the soda tax. Chicagoans from all walks of life, all neighborhoods and all backgrounds can participate, share their ideas and start a dialogue about topics that directly affect their lives as citizens of this city.

"We love this city. Comcast's goal in sponsoring 'Hello' is to encourage Chicagoans to communicate with one another and share ideas that will make it even stronger," said Matthew Summy, Comcast's regional vice president of External Affairs. "Care of Xfinity Internet and our new mobile phone service, Xfinity Mobile, Comcast is a major telecommunications provider that brings media and technology together.  'Hello' expresses who we are as a company."

To learn more about "Hello" by Comcast-NBCUniversal, please visit www.chicagoideas.com/hello. Take part in the conversation and visit a booth at one of the following locations:

1. Logan Square Boys & Girls Club - (3228 W. Palmer, Chicago, IL, 60647), Artist: Coale Sauder
2. Little Village Boys & Girls Club - (2801 S. Ridgeway, Chicago, IL, 60623), Artist: Yollocalli Arts Reach
3. XFINITY Store by Comcast - (3128 N. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60657), Artist: Darius Dennis
4. Studio XFINITY - (901 W. Weed St, Chicago, IL, 60642), Artist; Sentrock
5. 1871 - (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212, Chicago, IL, 60654), Artist: Wreckzilla
6. Erie Neighborhood House - (1347 W. Erie St, Chicago, IL, 60642), Artist: Elloo
7. Center on Halsted - (3656 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL, 60613), Artist: Epifanio Monarrez
8. Chicago Urban League - (4510 Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60653), Artist: Robert Johnson
9. Venue SIX10 - (610 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60605), Artist: Joshua Morgan
10. Harris Theater - (205 E. Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601), Artist: Oscar Joyo
11-15. Daley Plaza - (50 W. Washington St, Chicago, IL, 60602) **5 Hello Booths, Artist: Matthew Hoffman
16. Albany Park Community Center - (5101 N. Kimball Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625), Artist: Little Wing Folk Art
17. Gads Hill Center - (1919 W. Cullerton St, Chicago, IL, 60608), Artist: Cristina Silvestri
18. Humboldt Park Branch (Chicago Public Library) - (1605 N. Troy St, Chicago, IL, 60647), Artist: Xeno Martinez
19. Manning Branch (Chicago Public Library) - (6 S. Hoyne Ave, Chicago, IL, 60612), Artist: Robin Seaberg
20.  Wrightwood-Ashburn Branch (Chicago Public Library) - (8530 S. Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL, 60652), Artist: JUNK YARD

More than 30,000 attendees from Chicago, the Midwest and across the world are expected to attend Chicago Ideas Week. Tickets and the full schedule of events are available at ChicagoIdeas.com.

About Comcast NBCUniversal
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal.  Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand, and also provides these services to businesses.  It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the XFINITY brand. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

With more than 7,000 local employees, Comcast's Greater Chicago Region (http://comca.st/2xOUkyS) serves customers in Central and Northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan. "Like" Comcast's Greater Chicago Region on Facebook by visiting @Comcast. "Follow" Comcast's Greater Chicago Region on Twitter at @ComcastILLINOIS.

ABOUT CHICAGO IDEAS
Chicago Ideas is a nonprofit platform built on one core belief: When audiences of every background have access to thought leaders and innovative ideas, people have the power to spark change in the world. Chicago Ideas is hosting Chicago Ideas Week (CIW) October 16-22, which is the largest affordable ideas festival in the world, connecting attendees to more than 150 world-renowned speakers?but Chicago Ideas' efforts extend much further. Whether it's the Curiosity Series in the spring, over 100 Labs that offer exclusive looks into Chicago-based businesses and cultural institutions, a year-round YOU(th) program that promotes leadership and personal development among under-represented Chicago high school students or a digital news platform that highlights innovative people and organizations, Chicago Ideas is helping make visionary ideas accessible to everyone. Chicago Ideas is a 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more about becoming a member at Chicagoideas.com/membership.

CONTACT:
Sona Jones
Chicago Ideas
[email protected]

Stephanie Florence
Edelman Chicago
[email protected]

SOURCE Chicago Ideas