Messy Meets Meaningful: A Fil-Am Junk Journal Spring Meet-Up

Event Date: Mar 21,2026 (1-4PM)

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For ages 18+

Let's welcome the spring season through connecting with our roots, sharing stories, and being in the mess & joy of junk journaling!

What stories live in your balikbayan boxes, family photos, church programs, grocery receipts from Seafood City, or handwritten recipes from Lola?

Join us for Therapin*y Chicago Midwest Chapter's Kapwa & Krafting Series: Messy Meets Meaningful, a junk journal meet-up created for the Filipino-American diaspora — a space to gather, create, and honor our layered identities through paper, memory, and community.

Materials provided on site:

• Scissors, scrap papers, washi tapes, glue
• Markers, pens, crayons
• Light refreshments will be served

Suggested materials to bring:

• Blank notebook
• Your favorite journal to decorate
• Scraps that tell your unique story: (Old letters, greeting cards, postcards, Filipino images: Jeepney, sampaguita prints, parol cutouts, etc., family pictures or photos of the province where your ancestors built roots, cultural event flyers, fiesta memorabilia, Fabric from barong or ternos, or anything that feels like home!)

What to expect:

• Cozy & Creative Space: Meet folks & share stories and experiences
• Swap & Share: Bring your extra washi tapes, stamps, or stickers to trade!
• Pinoy Snacks: Is it even a Fil-Am meet up if we didn't have refreshments to fuel our creativity?

This is not a class — it’s a creative kapwa space. We’ll cut, paste, layer, and collage the in-between: homeland and diaspora, in English and/or in your native Filipino dialect, tradition and remix, joy and complexity. Expect to share supplies, bond over storytelling, and join in conversations that feel like merienda with cousins.

- All skill levels welcome
- No art experience needed
- Come as you are
- Perfection not invited!

We hope you’ll join us as we welcome the spring season—sharing stories that bring us closer as a community while we craft and junk journal together. Let’s make something messy, meaningful, and undeniably ours!

******This event is hosted by Therapin*y - Chicago Midwest Chapter & LILY Therapy & Wellness, Inc. --- Please visit our websites for more info!

Cost: Please support our work with a Pay-What-You-Can donation to cover the cost and labor to prepare the event. The suggested contribution is $10, but any amount is welcome. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.******

JOIN FOR FREE

DONATION ENCOURAGED