Jazzin at the Shedd: A Night to Remember

By Mila K Marshall, PhD CNW Staff Editor

This year marks the 28th year of Jazzin at the Shedd (1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.). Guests of all ages pour into the beautiful aquarium after hours to enjoy exhibits, great music from local artists while enjoying food and bars for guests over the age of 21.

This year there was something especially divine about the season’s first Jazzin of 2023. Social media was suddenly flooded with excitement for the first ever HBCU and Divine 9 night celebrating Black education. “We had people calling in asking to be put on waiting lists,” shared Senior Director of Marketing LaToyia M. Ledbetter, “it isn’t uncommon for the event to sell out a little later into the summer, so we were thrilled as a team to see that energy for the very first one of the season,” she continued.

As Black Chicago prepares for the traditional Summertime Chi fun, the Shedd’s shoreline kickoff for the culture shows the value of diversity in the C-suite. When Ledbetter proposed this idea to her leadership and administrative team it wasn’t a surprise to her that it was welcomed and fully supported by all. “Everyone was not only in agreement with the idea, but everyone also ensured the event’s success. It was the hottest ticket in town, and it was exciting to see the response. The line started to form around 4pm and we easily had over 2000 people in attendance” she shared. Other vendors came out to the event like Uncle Nearest Whiskey and the United Negro College Fund.

The Shedd Aquarium is an iconic cultural institution focused on conservation and teaching people about science and animal welfare. Water is also an increasingly hot topic for urban communities and Ledbetter and the Shedd team understand the importance of finding unique ways to activate and educate diverse audiences on the array of aquatic issues shared across generations and multicultural groups.

“Maybe everyone was partying that night…but maybe next week those same guests will bring their kids back to learn more about freshwater ecosystems, opportunities to volunteer or the amazing work we do globally,” said Ledbetter. In the African American community, conversations about the environment are increasing and institutions like the Shedd are finding clever ways to attract attention and serve communities in culturally relevant ways. “Seeing the representation of Black education and Black excellence was phenomenal. You saw all generations coming together and it was just so special to see that here,” said Ledbetter.

Guests were welcomed to enjoy three bands across the aquarium and hang out on the terrace overlooking the patio with the DJ Malik Shabazz, a proud Kappa man himself and official DJ of the Chicago Sky. Ledbetter beamed as she spoke about the sea of solidarity. “People were wearing their collegiate shirts and hats, sororities and fraternities were wearing their colors, the AKA’s were strolling, the Q’s were stepping…it was a sight to see,” she said.

There are more opportunities for engaging the Shedd and Ledbetter invites guests to take a look at them all.

“We have the auxiliary board for young professionals and beach clean ups across Lake Michigan at Chicago Park District beaches, we hope guests will come back, we are ready to welcome them all,” said Ledbetter.

Calling any one of them a simple beer lover is an understatement; they are aromatic experts, immensely insightful on ingredients and truly are bodying the beer game with finesse, they are true libationist’s. The global beer market is worth well over $500 billion USD, the industry is fast growing yet Black owned companies make up less than 1% in the United States. If anyone is trying to find Black brewers or companies Google will hop you around to various blogs and sites and if they are published after 2020, Moor’s is on them all. In less than 900 days shelves have been set ablaze by a Chicago trio whose eye for cultural enterprise is unparalleled. When meeting co-founders Jahmal Johnson, Damon Patton, and Anthony Bell you’re pretty much guaranteed one part Black history class, two parts industry related TED talk and quite honestly a comedy show. One thing you learn when you have them together is they have a sense of humor and like many Chicagoans have jokes for days.

Nonetheless, each of them brews with a passion not just about the business of beer but the business of brotherhood.

Chicago News Weekly sat down to capture the origin story and ambitions of the men of Moor’s Brewing Company.