“Mecca’s Heart (Center)”

Sistas in The Village

5800 S Ada St, Englewood, Chicago, IL 60636

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Mixed media installation, 7 ft (L) × 7 ft (W) × 11 ft (H) — burned wood, food-coloring stain, netting, ribbons, bells, fabric, ceramic pot, plant, wind chime.

Project Creation, Management, and Facilitation (from ideation to completion): Gloria I. Rivera

Lead Structure Building: Olufemi Dupart

Creation & Support Team: Grow Greater Englewood staff and block stewards

A permanent, multi-sensory installation honoring the life of Mecca Bey, created as a space for remembrance, reflection, and collective healing. The pyramid-inspired structure sits at the center of the Ancestors’ Circle and invites visitors to step inside—surrounded by cascading ribbons, the sound of bells and a wind chime, and a central focal point intended for quiet connection and pause.

The project was developed as a community-rooted work, shaped through shared labor, care, and intentional collaboration. Staff and block stewards from Grow Greater Englewood participated in the creation of modular elements holding the ribbons and bells, as well as surrounding landscape elements including planting and pathways. The installation now lives permanently at Sistas in the Village.

Select photos of the completed installation and community engagement:
Tafari Melisize | The Indigenous Lens