Governance and Launch Readiness
The Rainbow DJ Lab is a free DJ class program proposed by Ras Tafari Inc., an Illinois not-for-profit corporation and 501(c)(3) public charity at 1401 E. 71st St., Chicago, IL 60619. It is the DJ-class part of Full Spectrum at Rainbow Beach, a proposed year-round music and culture program at Rainbow Beach Park.
The Lab is proposed, not running. The Chicago Park District has not approved or permitted it. No class dates are set and no staff are hired.
This section is where we show our work. Where a document exists, we say so. Where it does not exist yet, we say that too, and we say what has to happen before it does.
Our promise
No class runs until every item is complete. This page will show the date each item was completed.
When an item is finished, its Status will change to "Complete" with the date, and the Evidence link will lead to the proof (or, for private records such as background checks, a summary that confirms completion without revealing anyone's personal information).
Launch Readiness Checklist
As of today, none of these items is complete.
| # | Requirement | Why it matters | Status | Evidence (where proof will be posted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago Park District approval and the permit or agreement for space | The Lab may only use park space with the Park District's written permission. | Not yet complete | Park District permits |
| 2 | General liability insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence, naming the Chicago Park District as additional insured) plus sexual abuse and molestation coverage | If something goes wrong, families and the park need to know there is coverage in place, including coverage specific to abuse claims. | Not yet complete | Insurance certificate |
| 3 | CPD background checks complete for every adult under CPD rules | The Chicago Park District runs background checks for adults who work with children, under its own rules; Ras Tafari Inc. does not substitute its own process. No adult works with children until CPD's check, references and youth-protection training are complete. CPD's process also applies to vendor staff on site. | Not yet complete | Staff screening (completion summary; no personal data posted) |
| 4 | DCFS mandated reporter training certificates on file for every adult | Every adult in the program is a mandated reporter under Illinois law and must know how to report suspected abuse or neglect. | Not yet complete | Staff screening |
| 5 | Pediatric first aid/CPR/AED certification for at least one adult per class | Someone trained must be in the room every class, ready to act in the first minutes of an emergency. | Not yet complete | Staff screening |
| 6 | Emergency action plan finalized after a site walk with park staff, with maps drawn | Exits, shelter spots, lockdown rooms and meeting points must be planned for the actual building and lawn, with the people who run the park. | Not yet complete | Safety overview |
| 7 | A written MOU with the Chicago Park District | A signed agreement spells out who is responsible for what: space, schedule, safety, insurance, screening and incident reporting. | Not yet complete | MOU with the Park District |
| 8 | Parent forms available in English and Spanish | Every family must be able to read and understand what they are signing. | Not yet complete | For families |
| 9 | Dates and the schedule posted | Families need to know exactly when and where their child will be before they enroll. | Not yet complete | For families |
| 10 | A board vote adopting these policies | Policies only bind an organization once its board formally adopts them. | Complete: adopted Oct. 17, 2026 (live status) | Board and officers |
| 11 | Music licensing: public performance rights for Spotlight, the Rainbow Showcase and any public performance (through ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR, or written confirmation that Chicago Park District licenses cover it) | Playing recorded music for an audience needs public performance rights, and the Lab must have them before kids play for anyone. | Not yet complete | Performing |
| 12 | Empress Decks: written confirmation in the park agreement | Rainbow Beach Park staff welcome the girls' focus, since girls' participation has long trailed boys' across the Park District. We'll put the girls-only track in writing in the MOU. | Not yet complete | Age groups |
| 13 | Records match: the Ras Tafari Inc. name and address match across the IRS determination letter, the Illinois Secretary of State, the insurance certificate and the park paperwork | Every Lab and proposal document uses 1401 E. 71st St., Chicago, IL 60619; the IRS, state, insurance and park records must show the same. | Not yet complete | 501(c)(3) determination letter |
| 14 | A published one-page budget for the DJ classes (instructors, gear and lending library, ear protection, CPD background checks, insurance share, sound, stage and lighting) | Families, the Chicago Park District, funders and the public should see where the money goes. Proposed figures are pending confirmation. | Draft published; insurance and music-licensing quotes pending | Financial transparency |
| 15 | Conflict-of-interest policy adopted by the board, with every covered person's disclosure on file | Decisions about children, money, vendors and stage time must be made by people with nothing to gain, and everyone covered must say in writing whether they have a conflict. | Policy adopted Oct. 17, 2026; disclosures to be filed | Conflict of interest policy |
| 16 | Q-Ality Sound agreement signed, with the sole-source memo approved by directors with no tie to Q-Ality | Q-Ality was chosen without competitive bidding, so the reasons, the price check and any relationships must be written down and approved by people with no stake. | Not yet complete | Q-Ality Sound vendor agreement; sole-source justification |
| 17 | Q-Ality Sound's insurance certificates on file, naming Ras Tafari Inc. as additional insured | The vendor whose stage, sound and lights children use must carry its own coverage. | Not yet complete | Insurance certificate |
| 18 | Graduation criteria published (attendance at a set number of sessions plus a set number of skill checks) | Graduation and the Open Decks slot must depend on rules everyone can see, not on anyone's opinion. | Not yet complete | Graduation guarantee |
How an item gets marked complete
- The proof exists in writing (a signed agreement, a certificate, meeting minutes, a confirmation that a CPD background check is complete).
- A second Ras Tafari Inc. officer, not the person who did the work, checks the proof.
- We update this table with the completion date and link the evidence.
- Only when all eighteen rows say "Complete" is a first class date confirmed.
If any item later lapses (for example, an insurance policy expires or a screening comes due), classes pause until it is fixed, and this table will show that too.
Policy status
The 37 safety, privacy and governance policies on this site were adopted by the Ras Tafari Inc. board on October 17, 2026, by unanimous written consent signed by all five directors (item 10 above).
Document status at a glance
| Document | Status |
|---|---|
| 501(c)(3) determination letter | Available on request |
| Board and officers | Officers listed; 37 policies adopted Oct. 17, 2026 |
| Conflict of interest policy | Adopted Oct. 17, 2026; disclosures to be filed (item 15) |
| Q-Ality Sound vendor and equipment agreement | Draft for board approval (item 16) |
| Sole-source justification: Q-Ality Sound | Draft for board approval by directors with no tie to Q-Ality (item 16) |
| Equipment use: donated DJ gear and Q-Ality Sound | Draft for board approval, part of the vendor agreement |
| Whistleblower policy | Adopted Oct. 17, 2026 |
| Financial transparency | Commitment; the one-page class budget is published (item 14) |
| MOU with the Chicago Park District | Not yet drafted or signed |
| Park District permits | Pending |
| Insurance certificate | Not yet in place |
| Data-sharing agreement with SelassieFest | Proposed internal policy |
| Enforcement and self-accountability | Commitment; adopted with the policy vote |
| Annual safety review | Process defined; first review after the first season |
| Community accountability report | Template; first report after the first season |
Questions
Contact Stephen Henry, President, Ras Tafari Inc.: 872-255-9333 or stephen@selassiefest.com.
Concerns about any adult go to the Chicago Park District: the Rainbow Beach Park office, (312) 745-1479, or any Park District staff member. To raise any other safety concern, see Report a concern. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call the DCFS Hotline at 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873). You do not need our permission.