Running Tour of Jane

Jane was an underground abortion counseling service that operated in Chicago from 1969-1973. On this 4-mile running tour in Hyde Park, join Read & Run Chicago guide Kaylee Tock as she guides readers & runners through the neighborhood that housed several important sites related to the collective’s work. You’ll hear more about Jane, including historical context and the path a pregnant person would have taken in 1972, plus have a chance to consider our contemporary landscape and leave with resources to continue fighting for equitable access to knowledge and care.

At the end of the route, we’ll host a panel discussion at Call & Response Books (1390 E Hyde Park Blvd) featuring a former members of Jane.

100% of ticket sale profits will be donated to the . Light snacks from ButcherBox and hydration will be provided, and we'll also have a raffle with fun prizes like a gift card to , Chicago's feminist sex shop since 2001, and giveaways from .

No prior reading required, but as we run routes built by stories you’ll have the chance to read, watch, or listen to our recommended books, films, and media about the Jane Collective that helped inspire this running route.

MEET: : Meet between 8:30-9:00am on Saturday, July 19 inside Call & Response Books (1390 E Hyde Park Blvd). You'll be able to make a name tag, mingle with other book lovers, and even write a card from one of our event partners, the running greeting card company .

Runners are able to leave personal items (no valuables) in our meeting space during the run.

ROUTE: : We will run an easy-paced (11:00 min/mile), ~4-mile route stopping at several locations important in Jane's history. Not planning to run? Cyclists, rollers, rollerblades, scooters, and more welcome (take care of your own safety, please!).

END: After our 4-mile running tour, we'll return to inside Call & Response Books (1390 E Hyde Park Blvd) for a panel discussion about Jane history and reproductive rights. If you love this piece of Chicago history but are unable to join the movement portion of this event, you are able to purchase a ticket for the panel discussion only. Our bookstore partner Call & Response Books will have some copies of relevant titles like on sale. Light snacks from ButcherBox and hydration will be provided.

We'll also have a raffle with fun prizes like a gift card to , Chicago's feminist sex shop since 2001, and giveaways from .

Runners are able to leave personal items (no valuables) in our meeting space during the run.

INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAN: If it becomes unsafe to run outside, we will hold a modified version of the event at the venue starting at 9:00am. You will be notified via email no later than 8am on Saturday, July 19 if there are any changes to the event.

All ticket holders will receive reminder emails and details 2 days and 4 hours prior to the event.

About your guide: Kaylee (she/her/hers) has been reading daily since her first solo book, The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree (age 5); she avoided running at all costs until she saw someone wearing a Rosehill Cemetery Crypt 5k shirt and decided that was a great reason to run (age 29). After a stint at a record label and years with a boutique fashion designer, she finally put her math skills to good use working as an accountant for nonprofits. Her ideal morning is an early run, followed by coffee, a book, and a cat.

Allison Yates: Allison (she/her) spends her free time traveling, freelance writing, running, reading, and jumping in Lake Michigan (when it's not freezing!), among other hobbies. Read more about her story.

Call & Reponse Books: Call & Response is a Black woman-owned bookstore focused on fostering a love of reading, community, human connections, and the sharing of ideas across cultures and backgrounds. With the knowledge that the publishing industry has historically overlooked and sidelined writers of color, they place the voices of Black and other authors of color at the center of their work. They hope to provide a space for the many people who, for so long, have not seen themselves represented in literature, empowering all to share their stories with the world.

Read & Run Chicago is a chapter of Read & Run Tours, LLC, the country’s first and only organization that hosts running events inspired by books. Founded in 2021 by queer educator, freelance writer, and runner Allison Yates, the mission of Read & Run Tours, LLC and the city chapters is to use movement and stories to explore locations. Our community-focused run programming includes running tours, book club runs, author talks, and other literary-themed fun runs all inspired by books set in the cities where chapters are located, written by local authors. While connecting runners to the city’s stories, we also actively support literacy programs, public libraries, independent bookstores, and local authors.

In Chicago, we have hosted more than 100 events (in English and Spanish) for over 300 Chicagoans, featuring over 30 authors or local experts, and we have been featured in various media outlets including CNN, Runner’s World, Midwest Living, NBC’s Chicago Today, Fox32 Good Day Chicago, WGN Radio, Block Chicago, and more.

More information at readandrunchicago.com, Instagram, and Facebook.

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