Cincinnati, OH Events

Amal journeyed across the Ohio River and encountered echoes of the Underground Railroad.

Among the swelling strings of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and the voices of choirs, she was led to find comfort in the Freedom Center.

In partnership with Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Cincinnati Compass, Kroger Wellness Festival, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

This is past event. Explore more HERE.

The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra is an independent ensemble of 32 professional musicians that launched the critically acclaimed summer music festival Summermusik in August 2015. Led by Music Director Eckart Preu, the CCO offers a fun and informative musical experience in an intimate and informal setting. The CCO’s size allows for creativity in programming; presenting orchestral works ranging from Baroque and Classical eras to commissioned works by contemporary composers. Collaborations are a hallmark of the CCO, including partnerships with Cincinnati Compass, CET, Cincinnati Ballet, and the Cincinnati Art Museum.

The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra is supported by Robert and Debra Chavez, Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, ArtsWave Community Campaign, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, The Charles H. Dater Foundation, and the Ohio Arts Council.

Cincinnati Compass advances economic and social inclusion of immigrants and refugees to enhance the overall vibrancy and economic growth of the Cincinnati region. Cincinnati Compass is a collaborative project of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, City of Cincinnati, and more than 65 community partners who believe that immigrants and refugees are key contributors to a strong regional economy and a diverse, vibrant community.

Cincinnati Compass is a trusted connector, catalyst and convener that works with immigrant, refugee, and international communities to build social, civic and economic power.

The Kroger Wellness Festival, America’s largest health and wellness festival, is designed to help people live healthier lives by taking a holistic approach to healthy living. Inspired by our desire to uplift and Feed the Human Spirit, we provide diverse live experiences around well-being, including physical, mental and emotional health, that are Fresh for Everyone™.

The festival showcases more than 150 experiences for total self-care focused on six core pillars of transformation: balance, move, breathe, care, uplift and play. Festival attendees can experience food, beverage and self-care brands through live activations and samples, as well as fitness activities, panel discussions, cooking demos, exhibitions, classes, and live music.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at freedomcenter.org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, endslaverynow.org

The Well provides programs, practices, and connection at the intersection of arts & wellness. One program of The Well–Mindful Music Moments–works in collaboration with 12 world-class performing arts organizations across the U.S. to bring daily audio and video content to schools, hospitals, and businesses which combines a daily mindfulness or creative prompt with three minutes of orchestral, jazz, world, and new music. 

In anticipation of Little Amal’s arrival to Cincinnati, The Well is commissioning a new piece of music for Mindful Music Moments called “The Hope Commission” in collaboration with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and Cincinnati-based composer/music educator Sonia Morales-Matos. Sonia’s music will be inspired by asking Cincinnati refugee families about their journeys, what gives them hope, and what reminds them of home.

Through our network of donors, employees and volunteers, we help reduce poverty, increase self-sufficiency and improve the community by providing resources for people to create healthier, better lives and achieve their full potential.

The Immigrant and Refugee Law Center, a 501c3 non profit, provides accessible legal services to immigrant and refugee families in the Greater Cincinnati community. IRLC wants all immigrants and refugees to have equal and trusted access to justice and legal services.

Maketank Inc. is a non-profit whose mission has always been to support young people and build community through creative making and sharing. Since 2019 our focus has been the Illustrated Memoir Project. The Illustrated Memoir Project engages refugee, immigrant, and asylum-seeking youth to write and illustrate true stories from their lives. The goal of this project is to foment intellectual self-trust in the participants, center their lived experience and unique ways of knowing the world, and help foster a richer understanding of the experience of refugee and immigrant youth in the broader community.

RefugeeConnect’s mission is to connect people forced to flee their country to escape persecution or war with resources to rebuild their lives as United States citizens. Our vision is to create an inclusive and diverse community. We believe this begins with creating a culturally responsive, well informed, and welcoming community in which refugees feel comfortable and secure in finding their home. We help refugees and asylees navigate often unfamiliar systems, new cultural norms, and language barriers. Our Community Navigators are cultural leaders who provide native language support and expertise through lived experience to families across the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region. Through our Navigator program, we promote coordinated services so that this specific population of new Americans, who may be unaware of the patchwork of crucial resources already in place, reach their full potential as individuals, families, and civic and community leaders. 

Transformations CDC is a nano-scale organization working primarily with Central American immigrants and their children, but also organizing individuals and other groups around related policy issues locally and on a national scale.