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The Art of PERFORMANCE

Arts and culture have remained a cornerstone of ABJ.  Our  niche is helping youth discover gifts and talents within themselves. A true gift for us as an organization is being able to play a role in that discovery and then to planting and nurturing seeds for the development of those gifts and talents. 

Through our arts program, thousands of youth have gained skills in music and theatre. Today, ABJ offers its Ray of Hope Music and Theatre program as a tool for teenagers to learn performance art and the strength and power of their voices all while earning stipends. This program lays the foundation for youth to gain confidence and belief in self and work in the arts while learning transferable skills in the workforce or as entrepreneurs.

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Donations are critical to the function of our organization and we rely on our supporters.

ABJ Civic Arts Center is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

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STAY INFORMED



CONTACT US

PO Box 19542

Chicago, IL 60619

P: 773-209-4586

info@abjchicago.org

Pastor Victoria Carol Brady is an Arts/Community Activist, Playwright, Singer,

Artistic Director, and Humanitarian.   She is the second generation President/CEO of Annie B. Jones Community Services, Inc. (now ABJ Center of the Arts), in Chicago, IL that was founded as a Child Welfare Agency by her mother, Dr. Vivian R. Jones.  Under Pastor Victoria’s leadership, ABJ has transformed into a unique center for cross-generational Arts-Entrepreneurialism, Culture, Peace-Building, Activism, and Community Empowerment.  She holds a Master of Arts degree in Applied Professional Studies from DePaul University and BA degrees in Music/Theatre from Columbia College and Biblical Studies from the International College of Bible Theology.

She has worked in the non-profit community for more than 30 years and is an expert in youth engagement. One of her key goals is to help develop a new generation of global leaders.  She recently launched the ABJ Civic Arts Circle Training which is an arts-leadership training model to help emerging leaders become change agents in their communities.  Pastor Victoria is a member of the 003rd District Clergy Sub-Committee which focuses on building a positive relationship between The Chicago Police Department and the community.    She is a board member of The United Black American Progress Association UBAPA.She is very pleased to serve as a Community Advisory Board/Think Tank Member of Our Black Truth which is a 100% Black owned social media platform.  She is also a member of the Faith Social Justice Advisory Committee established by Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Faith Engagement Office.

 One of Pastor Victoria’s greatest joys is serving as a visionary leader and connector for the further development of the African Diaspora community and mankind.  Her burning desire is to bring a “Ray of Hope” to the next generation of leaders as they take their rightful place in society.  Pastor Victoria is a servant leader at heart and the co-founder of Big Mama Movement Chicago.  If anyone can move and shake things up while developing relevant solutions to life challenges, it is Big Mama.  

As a singer/creative artist, Victoria has performed nationally and internationally.  She has written, produced, directed and performed in a number of plays.  Her performance credits include “Dreamgirls,”  “From Man to God, The Mitty Collier Story,” “The Wiz,”   “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Ain’t Misbehavin.”  Her directorial works include “Great Nitty Gritty,” “Pieces of a Shattered Dream,” “That’s Love,”  “I Cry – HipHopera,” and “Blair’s Story.”

She is the Founder/Pastor of Restoring Hope Ministries International.  She believes in the power that the remnant has to spark change. She has adopted the phrase, “People count numbers; God make numbers count!!!”  She whole-heartedly believes in the POWER of the ARTS and UNITY.