Join us for an evening celebrating Chicago’s cultural diversity!
MOSAIC is an annual benefit for the Chicago Cultural Alliance (CCA) that expresses our mission of cultural inclusion and equity. The CCA traces its origins to the Field Museum’s Cultural Connections program founded in 1998. This year we are thrilled to return to the Field Museum to bring together our donors and supporters with our diverse membership for a truly unique celebration.
DATE: Tue, May 20th
Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60605
Gala Program & Highlights
*5:00pm | [By Invitation Only] VIP Reception
6:00pm | Cocktail Reception (Stanley Field Hall – Balcony)
Opening Cultural Performance:
Black Hawk Performance Company
Awards Ceremony & Dinner
Closing Cultural Performance:
Mae Ya Carter Ryan
*
Our 2025 Honorees
John McCarter, Jr.
2025 Cultural Champion
Mr. John W. McCarter, Jr. is a Life Trustee and President Emeritus of The Field Museum, where he served as President and CEO from 1996 to 2012. A native Chicagoan, he has held leadership roles in business, government, and academia, including serving as Budget Director of Illinois, a White House Fellow, Chair of the Board of Regents at the Smithsonian, Emeritus Trustee of the University of Chicago, and Chair of the Board of Trustees at WTTW.
Dr. Peggy A. Montes
2025 Outstanding Community Leader
For over 60 years Peggy has been Empowering Women and Educating Children
Her journey started as a teacher, counselor and interim assistant principal in several Chicago Public schools. From there, she worked to become a civic, cultural and government leader. She was appointed a cabinet member in Chicago City government as part of Mayor Harold Washington’s administration. She headed the first Chicago Commission on Women in 1985 where she was instrumental in achieving many firsts for women. She increased the number of women by 67% by upgrading them into Department head positions. She also was responsible for increasing the number of females in the fire and police departments in 1986 and is proud to say one of the first females in her class is now the first African American Superintendent of the Fire Department. Her goal of honoring women enabled her to create the first Chicago Women’s History Month in 1986. Her continued fight to honor women as Commissioner of the First Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues led Cook County Commissioners to establish the Annual Peggy A. Montes Unsung Heroines Award. Peggy has also been honored by the Haitian Heritage Association for involvement in their community. She also founded the Bronzeville Children’s Museum and is celebrating its 27th Anniversary as the first and only African American children’s museum in America.
Dr. Dorene Wiese
2025 Outstanding Community Leader
Dr. Dorene P. Wiese is the President of the American Indian Association of Illinois. She has served as an urban American Indian educator in Chicago for the past 58 years, working to bring American Indian adult and higher education, culture, history, arts, and languages to Chicago. She founded the first Chicago American Indian Museum Without Walls. She serves as the library and archive director of the NAES College library and urban American Indian archives. She is a devoted oral historian, who collects Native oral histories, in collaboration with such institutions as the Newberry Library and Northwestern University. Dr. Wiese has provided a lifetime of service in teaching and preserving Chicago Native history, music, photography, film, dance, and art through programs like the Black Hawk Performance Company. She dreams that through the training of Native youth, Native Chicago culture and history will live on. For American Indian people practicing tribal traditions is social justice in action, as it defies the efforts of the United States to erase them and the people who practice them. The Black Hawk Performance Company strives to survive despite this. Wiese is the founding President of the American Indian Association of Illinois and President of Native American Educational Services. She is an enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe-White Earth.
Award Ceremony Cultural Performers
Black Hawk Performance Company
The Black Hawk Performance Company seeks to honor the ground they dance on, Mother Earth, and the many tribes who have made Illinois their home. Many tribes like the Ojibwe have been here for thousands of years. The most famous American Indian leader of historic times was the great Sauk Chief Black Hawk. His name comes from the great black hawks that we see all over the state. We honor both his name and our brother the hawk when we say these words. The performance company has performed for thousands of Illinois children and families since they were founded in 1984, by the incredible Zuni/Isleta singer, dancer and award-winning artist, the late Carlos Peynetsa.
Mae Ya Carter Ryan
Mae Ya Carter Ryan has a singing voice unlike any other for a 23-year-old. She is a self- taught vocal and musical prodigy, producing unique arrangements and often ingenious versions of most songs she performs. Be it jazz, gospel, R&B, pop, blues or classical, Mae Ya’s signature soulful tone and talent are undeniable. Mae Ya has been featured on WGN’s Morning Show, CBS’s Someone You Should Know segment, WTTW PBS, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Reader. Mae Ya is a Berklee College of Music Alum.
Mosaic 2025 Sponsors
Cultural Innovator (+$20,000)
Frank & Joyce Bauer
The Field Museum
Cultural Collaborator (+$10,000)
The Crown Family
Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel & John H. Krehbiel, Jr.
Susan R. and Sanford D. Greenberg
Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Communal
Bill & Kathy Jackson
Dan & Gloria Kearney Foundation
H Thorsten Lumbsch
Hobson / Lucas
Family Foundation
John McCarter, Jr.
Troy & Pat Murray
Cultural Advocate (+$5,000)
Janet & Craig
Duchossois
R. Scott Falk Family
Sakurako & William Fisher
David Hiller & Darcy Evon
Lavin Family Foundation
John Mabie
The Segal Family Foundation
The Works
Fund
Cultural Ally (+$2,500)
Anonymous
David Apatoff
Charles & Mary Anne Bobrinskoy
Lynn Donaldson & Cameron Avery
Winnie &
Bob Crawford
The Elizabeth
Morse Charitable Trust
Gary Macdougal
Swati and
Bobby Mehta
Dennis &
Tama Mullen
David &
Claire Oxtoby
Scott C. Smith
Decor Sponsor
E. B. Smith, Jr.
Donors
Mr. & Mrs.
Norman Bobins, The Robert
Thomas Bobins Foundation
Kimberly &
Albert Brooks
Elizabeth Glassman, In Honor of John McCarter
Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
Lauren &
Bill Huyett
Connie &
Dennis Keller
John &
Judith Keller
Ms. Lora Nickels & Mr. Thomas Tague
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Show Your Support
MOSAIC is a unique opportunity for sponsors to support the Chicago Cultural Alliance’s annual programs and initiatives while enjoying an exclusive, culturally enriching experience with Chicago’s top civic and business leaders. The MOSAIC audience brings together the Alliance’s diverse membership with our vast network of supporters.
Click to download the Mosaic 2025 Sponsorship Packet in PDF for a full description of sponsorship tiers and benefits.
We invite you to fill out our online sponsorship form or reach out to us directly at development@chicagoculturalalliance.org
Travel & Accessibility Information
Parking
Accessible paid parking is available in the adjacent East Museum Lot on a first-come, first-served basis. If this lot is full, additional accessible parking spots may be available in the Soldier Field Parking garage.
Accessibility Information
If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to attend, please contact us at info@chicagoculturalalliance.org
Elevators
There are two elevators that access all three public levels of the museum, located on the east and west sides of the main hall. When you enter through the East entrance, proceed down the hall to find an elevator on the left near the entrance to Underground Adventure.
Restrooms
Accessible restrooms are available on every level, as well as an all-gender, single-stall restroom on the ground level near the West entrance. The restroom at the East entrance has a family restroom with an adult changing table.
Drop Off Area
There is a passenger drop-off area on the East side of the museum. Enter the road near the East parking lot entrance booth. When you arrive, enter at the museum’s East entrance, which is wheel-chair accesible.
By CTA Train
The closest CTA train stop to the Field Museum is Roosevelt. Servicing the Red, Orange, and Green lines, the Roosevelt stop also offers a connection to the #146 bus (at State and Roosevelt), which takes riders directly to the Museum Campus. For more information, visit the CTA website.
By CTA Bus
The Field Museum is serviced by bus lines #146 (Inner Drive/Michigan Express/Museum Campus) and #130 (Museum Campus). Use the CTA’s Bus Tracker for updated arrival times.
By Metra
The closest Metra stop to the Field Museum is the Metra Electric District station at Museum Campus/11th Street. For more information, visit Metra’s website.
Public Transit
Pace Suburban Bus may offer prearranged paratransit services in your area. Visit Pace’s Chicago ADA Service website for more information
Learn more about other accommodations offered by the museum here.