Jeff Wang is the Chef/Owner of The Yum Dum Food Truck. An accountant turned self taught Chef, he hit the streets in July of 2014 serving up his ‘Mom’s Asian home cooking’ with offerings like handmade dumplings, bao sandwiches, and a recreation of his childhood favorite snack - the now famed Kimcheesey Rice Balls. Jeff grew up in a restaurant family and knew he would find his way back into the kitchen – he just didn’t know that kitchen would be in the back of a truck. In almost a decade of rolling the streets of Chicago, Yum Dum has garnered a large following, been featured at iconic Chicago events and received several accolades including the title as one of ‘Chicago’s Best Food Trucks’ in several publications.
Tobalase is a Nigerian-American poet, author, and creative engine cultivated in Chicago, Illinois. She uses her poetry and custom-made pieces to build bridges that will hopefully drive society forward, embrace the present, and intentionally visit the past. Thus far, Tobalase’s poetic works have been featured by TEDxChicago, iHeartRadio, and the Chicago branch of Linkedin
Sól is a Chicago native singer, songwriter, producer, visual artist, and actor. She attended Chicago High School of the Arts, where she studied visual arts, and made her start in music when she decided to participate in ChiArts’ Hispanic Heritage Showcase. Sól later became even more fascinated with the music making process and taught herself the basics of producing. The music video for her latest single entitled “Constellations” won numerous awards including “On-Camera Talent” and “Original Song” (Accolade Global Film Competition) and “Cinematography” (Experimental, Dance, & Music Film Festival) . Her single “Jealous” was featured in Lyrical Lemonade, and Live Nation’s Ones to Watch.
Calle Verde is a sierreño band from Chicago, Il who plays regional Mexican music to provide representation for people who may feel far from home. Members Adrian Sanchez (lead guitar, vocals), Christian Alvor-Macias (rhythm guitar, vocals), Daniel Soto (tuba), and Jeffrey Aguirre (bass, vocals) met at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where they bonded over their shared interest in regional Mexican music and decided to use their musical experience to share their passion with the latino community at UIUC through live music performance. They plan on playing a role in redefining the regional Mexican genre with their unique backgrounds and hope to inspire others to pursue their passions and share them with the world around them