About Concrete Rose 773

Concrete Rose’s debut event was a highly successful Charity Basketball game, which gathered funding for both a local park district and daycare in Chicago’s Roseland community. Since then Concrete Rose has aimed to provide a life changing platform for Chicago's youth. More specifically, Concrete Rose aims to put a spotlight on Chicago's youth with hopes to turn these talents into life long careers. Thus far, Concrete Rose has continuously met our aims through hosting numerous community-focused events in the Chicagoland area and creating a platform to showcase underrepresented stars in Chicago.

Our Founder

Darrin Cotton Jr was born and raised on the southside of Chicago. He attended Brooks College Prep, where he thrived as a multisport athlete, being a standout in both Football and Basketball. DJ went on to attend the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND transferring to Davenport University in Grand Rapids, MI. At Davenport, DJ shined as a long, athletic defensive back finishing his final season with 30 tackles and 3 interceptions. In April of 2023, DJ Cotton earned his bachelor's degree in Sports Management and Business. DJ is currently working towards earning a Masters Degree in Business Administration in 2024 to pursue a career in Sports Business. Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, DJ has witnessed everything the city has to offer. DJ’s roots in Chicago have been a huge blessing from the culture he was raised in to his experiences with some of the brightest and most talented young people in the entire world being from Chicago. Through these experiences, he's realized that oftentimes individuals just need a platform to showcase their talents.

Our mission and purpose

Concrete Rose 773 is a nonprofit organization founded in 2020 that uses social events to showcase Chicago's talent while simultaneously combating inequality. We use our platform to create positive change around the Chicagoland area. Our mission highlights four main areas: art, education, mentorship, and volunteering. Here at Concrete Rose 773 we are big on improving the quality of life by provding resources around social-emotional, education and mental health. With this project, we hope to expand our brand as one of the most prominent nonprofits in Chicago.

Mentorship

Concrete Rose 773 launched our mentorship program in 2022 with the aim to ensure members of our community are able to create close-knit relationships that are grounded in the shared goal of success and intentional support. This platform is geared towards individuals of all ages and career backgrounds and aims to promote both professional and personal growth. The mentorship application is designed to match mentors and mentees of similar interests, geographical location, communication styles, and career goals. The mentorship application for August 2023 - December 2023 will open on July 1, 2023. Following December 31, 2023, pairings can be changed or remain the same based on the interest of both the mentor and mentee. Please be on the lookout for the upcoming application!

Volunteering

Concrete Rose 773 continues to host volunteering events to make an impact on our Chicago communities. Our past events range from providing meals for individuals who are houseless, fundraising for local park districts, providing school supplies for elementary school students, and highlighting talented Chicago creatives through our annual fashion show.