Word Project to present challenging evening of the arts

Kendria "K-Love" Harris, two-time winner of the Nuyorican Poetry Slam, will headline The Word Project, an evening dedicated to the power of the arts in Naperville.

The program begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at the School of Performing Arts Theatre Studio, 1112 S. Washington St.

A first-of-its-kind event in Chicago's Western suburbs, The Word (Wisdom of Radical Diversity) Project, produced by Artful IMPACT!, will challenge performers and the audience alike to step outside their comfort zone, using art to define their journey, cope with struggles, and find strength through art-in-action.

With no topic off the table, no matter how traditionally taboo, Harris will be joined by Second City National Touring Company alum Jonathan Keaton and Tim Wambach.

Wambach's two-man show "Handicap This!" with Mike Berkson, a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, has been shattering preconceptions and encouraging tolerance and inclusion across the country.

Also sharing the Word spotlight will be local teens who've participated in Harris' "Seven Ways to Be Me" spoken word empowerment workshop.

Tickets are $10, and space is limited. To reserve tickets, visit artfulimpact.org or call (630) 717-6622.