In the summer of 1996, three young women, Jaquanda Villegas, Jacinda Bullie and Leida Garcia, came together to preserve youth and community stories while exploring the artistic and social movements of Hip-Hop. They saw Edutainment (KRS1) as a means for reaching out to their communities! Together they created programs for enhancing the artistic, cultural, spiritual, and educational development of their communities. The Kuumba Lynx design ripened through the varied artistic, cultural, and sincere backgrounds of the three young women. Their talents included, but were not limited to, strong community ties, street dance, theatre, music, storytelling, and performance poetry. With these blessings and an undying commitment to their universal family, they devised an educational and entertaining plan to utilize the arts while empowering the youth! Making purposeful moves, the founding females incorporated the organization and became a 501(c) 3 in 1997.

KL is an Arts Partner with the Chicago Park District at Clarendon Park Community Center where KL provides free Drop In Arts programs and hosts the KL hop-hop theatre performance company, Kuumba Lynx Performance Ensemble (KLPE). The Hip Hop Arts studios have been located “on the second floor- behind the boxing ring”, since 2001.

KL has touched various Chicago communities including Bronzeville, Englewood, Rogers Park, Pilsen, Humboldt Park, & Little Village. The organization has provided services and collaborative partnerships to both local and international organizations & schools. Notably, KL has built bridges with The Mexican Fine Arts Museum, NY School for Social Research, U.I.C., MCA, Columbia College, Art Institute of Chicago, Cuba’s Alamar Arts Collective, Youth Struggling for Survival, Young Chicago Authors, Puerto Rican Cultural Center, IMAN, Juvenile Justice Youth Panels, and Alternative School Network, Teachers for Change, University of Hip Hop, Connect Force, Beacon Street Theatre, and DePaul University’s Theatre School and Steins Center.

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