Stepping onto the boldly printed tile floor, looking up to nothing but the iridescence of color and disco balls hanging above, one discovers 10 different rooms that each showcase a perspective from a woman’s point of view.
WOMANISH is not only a hands-on experience, it’s a space that collectively dedicates each area to specific stereotypes, while still being fun and artsy.
For sisters Dionna Gray and Danyelle Gray, co-founders of WOMANISH, the intersectionality of being Black and women is at the heart of their exhibit.
Dionna said the momentum of the #MeToo movement has sparked a greater movement to empower women and inspire them to “speak their truth.” However, she said because she and Danyelle are Black, it is an even bigger success being able to empower other women like themselves who are often overlooked.
The hands-on experience, worth 75 minutes for the visit, is located in a five-story building at 114 S. State St., right in the heart of downtown Chicago. WOMANISH is open to all guests with a ticket price of $35.
After working on an app for women for about six years, the sisters began to put their minds to work elsewhere.
“We were trying to create this safe space and collective for women online… and it literally went nowhere,” Danyelle said. “We thought, ‘Why don’t we turn this app idea into an experience or an event because [this] experience [will spark] a wave [if not a movement].’”
Danyelle said the response from previous events such as panels and smaller experiences, hosted by the Gray sisters, presented a whole new outlook on women and sparked a movement.
The exhibit touches on many issues important to Black women, including woman’s emotions. This includes a room called MOODYISH, which focuses on mental health, as well as a room called GLOOMYISH and even a self-care salon called SELFISH.
As guests enter the exhibit, a re