The non-profit focuses on lifting up the voices of Black girls, women and non-binary media makers.

“There are certain stories that we can tell that, if we don’t have the opportunities and the skill set to tell these stories, they will be lost forever,” said founder and CEO Yvonne Welbon.

Their new Media Arts Center will be located near 75th and Yates in South Shore. Sisters in Cinema received a grant from Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, which finances commercial and cultural projects in historically disinvested neighborhoods with revenue from downtown development.

“So once Sisters in Cinema is completed, it will further strengthen our South Shore community,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Weldon grew up in South Shore, and still lives there. She said it’s always been her goal to help her community reach her potential.

“It is really important for us to have a place to dream” she said. “It’s important to have a place to go to see there is something else on 75th Street. There’s something else in South Shore that’s not just boarded up buildings.”

Sisters in Cinema is excited about the possibilities for growth when their building opens in September.

“I think it is going to be a really important program in the future,” said Payton Baker, Sisters in Cinema participate.

“It is so important to be able to see someone who looks like yourself in front of the camera and behind the camera,” said Chloe Herring, Sisters in Cinema business and development coordinator.

For more information about Sisters in Cinema, and to see upcoming programing and donate, click here to visit their website.