OUR origin STORY

In 2021, we launched a groundbreaking citywide Time Capsule in Chicago, enabling children to process and share their pandemic stories. Our aim was to celebrate them as an extraordinary generation who navigated unprecedented challenges with resilience.

Teaming up with 40 organizations, including Chicago Public Library, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Lurie Center for Childhood Resilience, MyChi MyFuture, and Multiple, we helped kids from every corner of the city to contribute to this collective memory.

As the project concluded, we asked ourselves: "How else can a time capsule support our young people?" Conversations with parents, educators, and youth revealed that what we had created was more than a record of history; it was a potent tool for nurturing ongoing youth well-being.

A young girl smiling and interacting with a smartphone on a tripod, assisted by an adult woman wearing a mask. Another child watches in the background. The setting appears educational or instructional.

At the core of our work is the Youth Time Capsule, an annual tradition that nurtures self-confidence and community by providing a platform for youth to document their journeys through storytelling, art, and creative expression.

We are a team of educators, entrepreneurs, creatives and parents united in our belieF that with community and self-confidence every kid can thrive.

the time capsule team

  • Children and a woman engaged in a crafts activity outdoors on a sunny day, with supplies like glue sticks and markers on a table. One child is wearing a mask.

    Stacey Gillett

    Executive Director, Co-Founder

  • Smiling man with beard, wearing a blue shirt and gray t-shirt, against a blurred background.

    Noah Glaser

    Program Manager

  • Smiling person with curly hair wearing a red top and hoop earrings.

    Cayla Jones

    Teaching Artist

  • Smiling person with curly hair wearing a blue top, against a green background.

    Luz Espinoza

    Teaching Artist

  • Person with short hair standing in front of a brick wall, wearing an orange top and polka dot jacket.

    Lizzy May

    Director of Curriculum and Learning

  • Woman with curly hair wearing a blue dress against a dark background.

    Maydi Diaz

    Teaching Artist

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Person wearing a white cap and tie-dye shirt at an outdoor booth.

    Stephanie Hodges

    Board Chair, Co-Founder

  • Woman with long dark hair smiling outdoors in a casual setting.

    Aditi CHOKSHI

    Mental Health Practitioner

  • Portrait of a woman with glasses smiling indoors

    Cecily Elgart

    University of Georgia

  • Woman with blonde hair in orange dress smiling with arms crossed indoors

    Rhonda Swails

    Kauffman Foundation

  • Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with long hair, resting her chin on her hand.

    Sarah LaFleur

    MM LaFleur

  • Portrait of a woman smiling with curly hair wearing a dark blazer.

    Jennifer Hodges

    KIPP Chicago

  • Rachael Mizuno

    Swanzuno Strategies

  • NEHA DAKWALA-SHAH

    Google

ADVISORY BOARD

  • Steve Au

    Scribble

  • Daphne Birdsey

    Clark Art Institute

  • Toni Sergeant

    American Express

  • Ann Marie Hoxie

    Research and Insights Lab

  • Carmen Holley

    Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children’s Hospital

  • Michael Preston

    Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop

  • Gabi Gillett

    Jenner & Block

  • Laura Ensler

    Early Childhood Specialist

  • Christina Hachikian

    University of Chicago

  • Davina Ogilvie

    Wovn Home

  • Michael Nutter

    Former Mayor of Philadelphia

  • Shundrice Tucker

    Educators for Excellence

  • Lauren Schrero

    Equip for Equality

  • Amelia Rudick

    Wall Street Journal

  • Callie Riley

    Cambiar Education

  • Kelly Powers Kelly

    PwrSol Consulting

  • Margot Kleinman

    Nuveen

  • Chaula Gupta

    Digital Promise