Friday Forum x Conversation Cafe: Olmeca - Acts of Radical Love

Audio recording from Friday Forum x Conversation Cafe Fall 2026 series, hosted by the Center for Civic Education & Justice and the University YMCA.

Olmeca is a multidisciplinary artist, activist, scholar, and educator whose work brings together music, visual art, culture, and social justice. Known for his powerful bilingual hip-hop and genre-blending sound, Olmeca explores identity, belonging, migration, Indigenous diaspora, collective healing, and the possibilities of a more just future. His work has been recognized by organizations including the Kennedy Center, and he is also the founder of the Raow Raow Arts Collective, which creates exhibitions, immersive performances, and community-driven artistic experiences. Olmeca's campus visit is co-sponsored by the Center for Civic Education & Justice, University YMCA, College of Fine & Applied Arts, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Center for Advanced Study, McKinley Foundation, Office for Arts Integration, The Jeffries Center, School of Social Work and Illinois Global Institute's New Approaches to International Area and Global Studies Grant, and Student Affairs Inclusive Excellence Committee.