Climate Jobs Institute at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

After a week of inspiring activities, we culminated the “Memorias de la Mujer Lotina: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal” residency with a guided museum exhibit tour and panel titled “Life After Coal: Envisioning Just Transitions Across Borders”. Hosted at the Krannert Art Museum, the panel featured Elizabeth Aguilera, ; Todd Lee, Vermilion County; Kellye Blosser, ; Magdalena Novoa, University of Illinois Department of Urban & Regional Planning; Emily Guske, ; and Jordan Woodward, . The panel joined community members and scholars from Chile, Illinois, and Ohio to discuss cultural memory, environmental legacies, economic renewal, and worker-led transitions beyond coal. A conversation we won’t soon forget and a perfect conclusion to the visit from our Chile and Ohio collaborators and colleagues.

Thank you to , , and Magdalena Novoa for organizing this special panel.

Gratitude to Victoria Schiodtz, María José Tejero, Magdalena Novoa, Burg Translations, and All Pro Audio Visual for their interpretation services during the museum tour and panel.

Photos by Nick Talan | Thanks to Nick Stange and Kyra Newnam for documenting the museum tour and panel.

The exhibition and residency were made possible with support from the Climate Jobs Institute, Krannert Art Museum, the Office for Arts Integration, the Leonard F. Heumann Fund, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Latin American and Caribbean Cities Collective, the National Fund for Cultural and Arts Development of Chile, and the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD).

At the beginning of April, CJI had a very special visit from Brian Koscho, of Invisible Ground, and Kellye Blosser and Tyler McDaniel, Little Cities of Black Diamonds. This collaboration was led by Jordan Woodward, Humanities Without Walls Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Humanities Research Institute, whose work in Appalachian Ohio focuses on how former coal mining communities recognize their past and reshape their shared identity. During the “Memorias de la Mujer Lotina: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile” residency, Brian, Tyler, and Kellye presented to University of Illinois Urban & Regional Planning students. They discussed their storytelling, heritage preservation, and eco-tourism efforts in Ohio coal country. They also met with researchers and community members in the context of the Illinois Coal Workers & Communities Listening Project. These conversations emphasized the shared histories across the Ohio and Illinois coalfields and highlighted the essential work of Invisible Ground and Little Cities of Black Diamonds in informing their community’s future.

Special thank you to Jordan Woodward and the Humanities Research Institute at Illinois for organizing the visit.

Photos by Emily Guske | Thanks to Nick Stange and Kyra Newnam for documenting the visit.

The exhibition and residency were made possible with support from the Climate Jobs Institute, Krannert Art Museum, the Office for Arts Integration, the Leonard F. Heumann Fund, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Latin American and Caribbean Cities Collective, the National Fund for Cultural and Arts Development of Chile, and the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD).

In late March, CJI co-organized “Talking Across Borders: Women Labor Activists from Chile and Illinois in Conversation” with Urban and Regional Planning scholar Dr. Magdalena Novoa, the Labor Education Program, the East-Central Illinois Coalition of Labor Union Women, Krannert Art Museum, and the School of Art and Design. The event included a guided tour of the “Memorias de la Mujer Lotina: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile” exhibition by Elizabeth Aguilera Novoa and Melissa Espinoza hosted at Krannert Art Museum. The tour was followed by a panel discussion featuring Kristy Webber and Laura Abbot, East Central Illinois Coalition of Labor Union Women, and Susan Menesses Lantaño and Eliana San Cristóbal Osses, Mesa Ciudadana de Patrimonio, Cultura, y Turismo de Lota. The conversation highlighted the experiences of women labor leaders in Illinois, USA and Lota, Chile. It was a powerful and inspiring conversation with the panelists’ memories and stories shared in English and Spanish.

Special thank you to Emily Twarog and Stephanie Fortado,Labor Education Program - University of Illinois, for organizing and moderating the panel discussion.

Gratitude to Victoria Schiodtz, María José Tejero, Andrea Palacio, and Magdalena Novoa for their interpretation services during the event.

Photos by Nick Talan | Thanks to Nick Stange and Kyra Newnam for documenting the event.

The exhibition and residency were made possible with support from the Climate Jobs Institute, Krannert Art Museum, the Office for Arts Integration, the Leonard F. Heumann Fund, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Latin American and Caribbean Coties Collective, the National Fund for Cultural and Arts Development of Chile, and the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD).

As part of the “Memorias de la Mujer: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile” week-long residency, CJI co-organized an arpillera workshop with Dr. Magdalena Novoa, the Vermilion County Museum, local art league, and quilters’ guild. Workshop attendees made arpilleras depicting memories and stories from their lives in Vermilion County, which holds a long history with the coal industry. Together, textiles makers from Lota, Chile and Illinois, USA shared their knowledge and art through fabric, color, shapes, and stitches. These shared experiences transcended the language barrier and highlighted the unique perspectives of women in coal-impacted communities.

This collaborative event was organized in conjunction with the Illinois Coal Workers & Communities Listening Project. The “Memorias de la Mujer: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile” exhibition is on display at Krannert Art Museum until September 5.

Very special thank you to Sue Richter, Director of the Vermilion County Museum. Gratitude to Victoria Schiodtz, Magdalena Novoa, and Emily Lehman for their interpretation services at the event.

Photos by Emily Guske | Thanks to Nick Stange and Kyra Newnam for documenting the workshop.

The exhibition and residency were made possible with support from the Climate Jobs Institute, Krannert Art Museum, the Office for Arts Integration, the Leonard F. Heumann Fund, Department of Urban & Regional Planning, the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Latin American and Caribbean Cities Collective, the National Fund for Cultural and Arts Development of Chile, and the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD).

CJI had the honor of co-sponsoring the “Memorias de la Mujer Lotina: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile” exhibition hosted at Krannert Art Museum. The exhibition showcases a long-term arts collaboration between University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Urban & Regional Planning scholar Magdalena Novoa and a community organization in Chile - Mesa Ciudadana de Patrimonio - using the textiles craft called arpillera. As part of the exhibition, the artists visited the University of Illinois for a week-long residency, sharing their stories and memories of the ex-coal mining town Lota, Chile. CJI co-organized a number of events with the artists, partner Magdalena Novoa, and other collaborators in the context of the Illinois Coal Workers & Communities Listening Project. The events emphasized cross-border solidarity, just energy transitions, and the role of women in international coal communities.

Take a look at photos from a coal and labor history tour we took across Central Illinois including Taylorville, Mt. Olive, and Hillsboro. Together, our group learned about the region’s tradition of radical union organizing, state policies mandating coal plant and mine closures, and the environmental and health impacts of the industry including coal ash and subsidence. Special thank you to Stephanie Fortado, Labor Education Program; Mike Matejka, Illinois Labor History Society; and Amanda Pankau, Prairie Rivers Network for sharing their wisdom with us.

We’d additionally like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Chuck Martin, Christian County Coal Mine Museum; Tim Drea, Illinois AFL-CIO; Laura Wilkinson, Illinois Education Association; Joann Condellone, Mt. Olive Mother Jones Monument and Museum, and everyone who welcomed us into their communities. It was inspiring to see the exchange of knowledge and experiences across languages for workers and communities living with the coal industry.

Follow along for more on the visit to Illinois and their powerful art.

Photos by Emily Guske | Thanks to Nick Stange and Kyra Newnam for documenting the tour.

Data centers are booming in Illinois — bringing billions in investment and thousands of union construction jobs. But their rapid growth is also raising big questions about electric grid reliability, water use, and energy affordability.

In a new blog for the Climate Jobs Institute, Johnathan Hettinger and Utsavi Shah break down how Illinois is shifting from recruiting data centers to overseeing their impact.

Read more:

Data Center Growth in Illinois Spurs Debate Over Energy Reliability and Affordability - School of Labor and Employment Relations Billions in private investment and union construction jobs have followed the state’s 2019 data center tax incentive — but rising electricity demand, water concerns, and affordability pressures are prompting leaders to reconsider data centers’ future.  By Johnathan Hettinger and Utsavi ShahCli...

Two upcoming events at the Krannert Art Museum bring coal-impacted communities from Chile and Illinois into conversation about culture, labor organizing, and life after coal.

These programs are presented in conjunction with the exhibition Memorias de la Mujer Lotina: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile, which shares the stories of women from Chile’s historic coal communities through the art of arpilleras—textile works created collectively to document memory, struggle, and resilience.

March 31 — Talking Across Borders: Women Labor Activists from Chile and Illinois in Conversation

Hosted by the East Central Illinois Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) in partnership with the Labor Education Program, the Climate Jobs Institute, the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Krannert Art Museum, and the School of Art and Design.

Exhibition viewing: 5–6 p.m.
Conversation & light dinner: 6–7:30 p.m.

April 3 — Life After Coal: Envisioning Just Transitions Across Borders
Presented by the Climate Jobs Institute, the Department of Urban & Regional Planning, and Krannert Art Museum.
Guided exhibition tour: 10:30 a.m.
Panel discussion: 12 p.m.
Reception to follow

These conversations bring together grassroots organizers, scholars, and community leaders from Illinois, Ohio, and Chile’s Biobío region to explore how coal communities are shaping post-industrial futures and building cross-border solidarity.

Learn more and RSVP: https://ler.illinois.edu/climate-jobs-institute/memorias-coal/

This exhibition is made possible with support from the Climate Jobs Institute; the Office for Arts Integration; the Leonard F. Heumann Fund; the Department of Urban and Regional Planning; the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity; the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies; the Latin American and Caribbean Cities Collective; the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District; and the National Fund for Cultural and Arts Development of Chile.

Krannert Art Museum acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.

Memorias de la Mujer Lotina: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile - School of Labor and Employment Relations Cross-Border Solidarity in Coal Communities As part of its work advancing worker-centered energy transitions, the Climate Jobs Institute is partnering with Magdalena Novoa, Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, and the Krannert Art Museum to bring coal-impacted commun...

A new Illinois News Bureau article highlights the powerful story behind Memorias de la Mujer Lotina: Arpilleras, Women, and Coal in Chile, now on view at Krannert Art Museum.

The exhibition features arpilleras — hand-stitched textiles created by women from the historic coal-mining city of Lota, Chile. As Professor Magdalena Novoa explains in the article, these works document everyday life, labor, and resistance, while helping women claim a voice in cultural preservation and planning decisions in their community.

Later this month, the artists will travel to the University of Illinois for a weeklong residency (March 30 – April 5), connecting with students, community members, and participants in the Illinois Coal Workers & Communities Listening Project.

Two public events will bring coal communities from Chile and Illinois into conversation:

March 31 — Talking Across Borders
Women labor activists from Chile and Illinois discuss organizing, coal community transitions, and cross-border solidarity.
RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdG-VBGu8jXsRbA1rxIlousxTDSyY1_CcOYc8gKhoTh5UJGgA/viewform

April 3 — Life After Coal: Envisioning Just Transitions Across Borders
Guided exhibition tour and public panel on the future of coal communities.

Exhibition on view Feb. 26 – Sept. 5 at Krannert Art Museum in Champaign, IL

Read the Illinois News Bureau story to learn more about the exhibition and the work behind it.

Chilean textiles showcasing women’s stories of heritage on view at Krannert Art Museum – News Bureau Chilean textiles showcasing women’s stories of heritage on view at Krannert Art Museum March 5, 2026 9:36 am by Jodi Heckel Arts and Humanities Editor Arts Share on Facebook Share on X Share via email Chilean women create textiles called arpilleras as a form of storytelling and resistance. Univers...

Since 2023, the Climate Jobs Institute’s research has been powered by more than data — it’s been powered by people.

Our Graduate Research Assistants play a central role in advancing clean energy, labor policy, and workforce development research in Illinois. From solar job quality analysis to federal policy research and coal transition data, their work directly shapes real-world policy conversations.

We’re grateful for Ramya, Zichang, Bernard, and Eva — and proud to mentor the next generation of clean energy and labor researchers.

Interested in becoming a Graduate Research Assistant? Apply here: https://ler.illinois.edu/climate-jobs-institute/careers-and-collaborations/

Careers and Collaborations - School of Labor and Employment Relations We’re hiring! Apply to be a Graduate Research Assistant. The Climate Jobs Institute is accepting applications for summer 2026 and the 2026-2027 academic year. We are seeking motivated graduate students to join our Research Assistantship Program, an applied research experience at the intersection o...

Thanks to The News-Gazette for featuring our students' work on Exploring Coal’s Legacy in Vermilion County.

Want to learn more? Head out to the Vermilion County Museum on Saturday at 1 p.m. to hear from the students on a potential coal heritage trail.

https://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/community-events/ui-grad-students-to-present-project-on-legacy-of-coal-in-vermilion-county/article_5dd9d518-f60f-4ec0-921f-e6d24eb556fa.html

Illinois’ building trades are at the heart of the clean energy transition — bringing the skills to construct and maintain every kind of energy system while upholding the labor standards that make these good jobs.

Our new report, A Profile of the Building Trades in Illinois’ Clean Energy Transition, shares what we heard from union leaders and trainers across the state — their experiences, challenges, and ideas for building a just, worker-centered transition.

Join us for a webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 12 PM to hear from researchers, union representatives, and industry leaders about what this means for Illinois’ clean energy workforce.

https://ler.illinois.edu/climate-jobs-institute-archive/unions-in-clean-energy/