Prairie Fire: Season 2 - Episode 5 - February 2025
This month, we share the inspirational story of Chicago native Shannon Voss, and his remarkable journey of recovery and how he's using that journey to inspire others. We introduce you to the art of Kevin Veara, and learn how he turned his obsession of birds into his life work. And then we spend some time at Illinois Hip Hop Camp, and show you how young creatives of the future learn to produce beats, write lyrics, engage a crowd, and tap into their creative spirit.
We've been following Shannon Voss for the last 8 months or so. Back in 2013 as a student at UIUC, Shannon spent two years at Carle Hospital after a brutal assault left him in a coma with little chance of survival. Through those years of treatment, Shannon found a second family in his therapy team, relearning how to walk, how to use an assistive communication device, and how to perform daily tasks. After four more years of extensive therapy and rehabilitation, Shannon wanted to continue his education and enrolled at Parkland College, earning a 4.0 grade point average, and delivered the commencement address in 2024. Shannon is a poet and often visits his Carle family to inspire and motivate other patients. Shannon has been chosen to receive the 2025 Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Award by the Assistive Technology Industry Association. He will provide the 28th annual lecture at the 2025 ATIA Conference on Jan. 31 in Orlando, Fl. The Prairie Fire team is profiling Shannon's journey, his endless positivity, and his poetry.
Meet the young creatives at the Illinois Summer Youth Music Hip-Hop Camp. Each summer, students spend a week building community with each other while learning from music educators and professionals how to produce beats, write lyrics, engage a crowd, and tap into their creative spirit. Prairie Fire documents a week at camp as it unfolds, highlighting the history and hallmarks of hip-hop culture and showcasing the talent of the up-and-coming generation of artists. Here, the kids are the experts. UIUC professors, music educators, and music professionals come together to create a space that centers on each one of the camper's talents, experiences, and interests.
Illinois artist Kevin Veara Veara creates paintings from his small studio at his home on the banks of the Sangamon River outside Springfield, IL. He named his workspace Underfoot Studios as a nod to his mission to illuminate the flora and fauna in his part of Illinois that most people don’t think about. And his paintings reflect that philosophy. Most of his works feature birds – and lately mussels – set against a background of the bushes and plants that surround his studio. And when he’s not painting, Veara practices his other art: tattooing. He maintains a steady clientele at Black Moon Tattoos in Springfield.
