SELF-CARE SOCIAL™ MAY 17, 2026 | CHICAGO, IL | 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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IMMERSE YOURSELF IN WELLNESS.
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Immerse yourself in self-love, self-care, and self-worth as you step into a beautifully curated space designed to help you slow down, breathe, and just be. Self-Care Social™ is your invitation to pause the hustle and prioritize yourself without guilt, pressure, or performance. It’s a space where you can exhale, be real, and remember what it feels like to be poured into, not pulled on.
Returning for its second year, Self-Care Social™ is a one-day immersive wellness experience created for a world that feels heavy and overstimulated. Whether you’re navigating burnout, a life transition, grief, or simply overdue for stillness, this is your safe, affirming place to release what’s heavy, reset your spirit, and reconnect with yourself.
YOUR SELF-CARE WELLNESS EXPERIENCE.
Step into an intentionally curated environment where self-worth, restoration, and joy take center stage.
As you enter, you're greeted by warmth...both in energy and design. Friendly faces. Soft music. The scent of calming oils in the air. You’ll check in, take a deep breath, and immediately feel the invitation to slow down.
From there, you’ll move through thoughtfully designed self-care zones, each one offering something different for your mind, body, and spirit. Maybe you’ll start at the Affirmation Mirror, grounding yourself in truth. Or find your way to the Journaling Nook, pen in hand, writing a letter to the version of you that’s still healing.
In the Collective Sigh Activation, you’ll exhale...on purpose. In the Rest, Sis. Lounge, you’ll sit down and stay a while. Panel conversations will pour into you like good tea: real, restorative, and nourishing in all the ways we need but rarely give ourselves permission to receive.
You’ll meet someone who understands you without you having to explain a thing. You’ll cry quietly or laugh loudly or sit still and feel it all. And all of it is welcome.
This is your moment to pause.
This is your reminder that you deserve care, too.
You’ll leave feeling lighter, seen, and more rooted than when you arrived.
Self-Care Social™ is a multi-sensory wellness experience designed to help you reconnect, reflect, and exhale.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
AFFIRMATION WALL
MINDFUL COLORING
Journaling Workshop
Self-Care Kits Bar
YOGA
Guided BREATHWORK
Breathwork
Sound Bath Healing
Mini Facials
Massages
Aromatherapy Bar
Bath Soak Bar
YOUR WELLNESS ESCAPE.
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Tucked inside Chicago’s historic Ravenswood neighborhood, Artifact Events is where industrial soul meets intentional softness. 28,000 square feet of soaring timber beams, exposed brick walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light.Â
The moment you step inside, something shifts. You feel it in your body before your mind catches up, a soft grounding, like you’ve finally made it to a space that gets it. Warm hardwood floors ground you. Sunlight pours through the windows, casting gentle patterns across weathered brick. There's an easy flow between rooms, each one offering a different kind of refuge.
It’s bright. It’s open. It breathes.
Every room invites you to be present: to journal, to rest, to move, to take up space in your softness and your strength.
The enclosed Courtyard, framed by 25-foot antique stone columns, offers fresh air and quiet reflection when you need to step outside and just be.
For one day, this architectural gem becomes something sacred. It becomes a place where healing isn't rushed. Where the air holds room for breathwork and breakthrough. Where you can move freely or sit quietly in the hum of community. The space meets you where you are and holds what you carry.
The rooms glow from the collective warmth of people choosing to rest, reset, and return to themselves.
This is where you'll exhale on purpose. Where you'll move through self-care zones without rushing. Where the architecture itself seems to whisper: You're allowed to slow down here. You're safe to rest. You belong in this moment.
WELLNESS CONCIERGEÂ
Start here. Settle in. Let the healing begin.
From the moment you arrive, you'll be greeted by a dedicated Wellness Concierge team member who will take the time to understand where you are in this moment. We'll orient you to the full experience: where each self-care zone is located, what's offered in every room, the timing of panel discussions and guided sessions, and how to move through the space at your own rhythm. Think of us as your personal wellness guides for the day. We're here to answer every question, offer thoughtful recommendations, and help you craft a journey that honors exactly what your mind, body, and spirit are calling for.
You'll receive a curated overview of the day's offerings, suggested flow options based on your intentions, and insider tips on how to make the most of your time. Want to maximize relaxation? We'll map out a restorative path. Seeking connection and conversation? We'll show you where community gathers. Prefer to move intuitively and explore at your own pace? We'll give you the lay of the land and step back, checking in only when you need us.
This isn't a one-size-fits-all experience. You don't have to figure out where to start or navigate it alone. We're here to remove the guesswork, eliminate decision fatigue, and ensure you feel supported throughout your entire experience.
SELF-CARE ROOMS
Self-Care Pamper Suite
A luxurious sanctuary offering mini-spa services that melt away tension. Enjoy facials, massages, and gentle indulgences in a serene setting with soft lighting and calming energy. Step inside, leave the noise behind, and let your body find its reset. Leave refreshed, renewed, and glowing..
Mindful Lounge
A colorful, creative space featuring mindful coloring, intention cards, and grounding rituals. This is where play meets presence and is perfect for centering your energy while engaging your senses.
Outdoor Zen Lounge
A thoughtfully curated outdoor escape to rest, reflect, and reconnect. Comfortable seating, calming touches, and fresh air create the perfect setting for meaningful conversation or quiet contemplation.
VIP Rest & Reflection Suite
(VIP ticket holders only)
An intimate, light-filled sanctuary designed exclusively for VIP guests. Plush seating, gentle reflection prompts, curated self-care experiences, and an atmosphere that invites you to slow down and listen to your own thoughts. Every corner whispers permission to pause.
SELF-CARE MARKETPLACE
Browse our vibrant marketplace of curated wellness artisans, service providers, and small businesses offering self-care treasures designed to support your daily rituals.
Discover handcrafted candles, nourishing skincare, intention-setting journals, aromatherapy blends, and wellness tools that bring calm into your everyday life. Connect with healers and holistic practitioners.
Wander at your own pace, ask questions, and have real conversations with the people behind the products and practices. Find what resonates with where you are right now. Leave with something meaningful that keeps your self-care going long after today.
SELF-CARE IS TRANSFORMATIONAL
When you care for yourself with intention, everything shifts. Clarity sharpens. Creativity flows. Leadership deepens. At Self-Care Social, we’ve created space for you to step away from the noise and reconnect with what matters most: you.
When you’re well, everything you build thrives. That’s the transformation, and it starts with one powerful decision: to put yourself back on the list.
Secure Your Positive VibesWELLNESS TALKS
Real, unfiltered conversations about rest, resilience, and redefining success with practitioners, creatives, and leaders who truly get it. Each session is a space to drop the mask, share honestly, and leave with tools that help you live and lead from a place of wholeness.
Heavy on the Healing: Mind Full or Mindful? Unpacking the Mental Load
Rest. Burnout Isn’t a Badge
The Weight We Don’t Talk About: Fatherhood, Finances & the Fight for Peace
WTF, Perimenopause!?
TESTIMONIES OF TRANSFORMATION.
I really enjoyed the tone of the Self- Care Social day. I was able to just flow and organically network. I gained new customers and even had an impromptu photoshoot. What a zen day!
- TREEMY C
I truly enjoyed myself. I am not one to practice self care but it was awesome to get away from home, network with other entrepreneurs, no mess no stress. Truly a Zen environment. Very relaxing and I'm excited.
- KEIONA WRIGHT
This year’s Self-Care Social was everything that I needed to get back up and going. My business took a hiatus due to the pandemic and I lost my momentum, but attending this event helped me to remember why I started.Â
- MARQUITA FERGUSON
We loved the Self-Care Social. I felt refreshed and optimistic after the event. Great networking in a cool environment.
- KATHY HARVEY
VIP EXPERIENCE
Your self-care deserves first-class treatment. The Self-Care Social™ VIP Experience is designed to give you an elevated, intentional day filled with exclusive touches, premium experiences, and personalized moments you'll carry home long after the event ends.
Your VIP Day Includes:
- Dedicated VIP Check-In Lane so you're welcomed without the wait
- A curated VIP Welcome Gift waiting for you at check-in
- VIP Self-Refresh Station featuring facial misters, aromatherapy, light refreshments, and water refills available all day
- Exclusive access to the VIP Rest & Reflection Suite, your private sanctuary to slow down, reflect, and recharge
- Build Your Own Self-Care Kit Bar: hand-pick wellness items to create a custom kit uniquely yours to take home
- DIY Bath Soak Bar: blend salts, herbs, and essential oils into a personalized relaxation soak crafted by you, for you
- Guided Journal Workshop: an intimate session exploring reflection prompts and self-care writing techniques to help you go deeper
- Self-Care Social™ Branded Journal to carry your practice forward beyond today
- Priority VIP Panel Seating with reserved front-row access to all panel discussions
- Intimate panelist meet-and-greet: a small group conversation with select panelists for deeper connection, candid conversation, and photos
VIP spots are limited. Once they're gone, they're gone.
CHOOSE YOUR EXPERIENCE.
GENERAL ADMISSION
$30Â
Pricing increase to $35 on November 5, 2025
Your Ticket Includes:
- Full access to the Self-Care Social™ experience, including all lounges, panels, and activations
- Entry to our curated wellness marketplace
- Participation in select creative and reflection activities
- Connection with an inspiring community of people committed to rest, release, and renewal
Secure your ticket now before prices increase on October 1.
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Secure Your Positive VibesVIP EXPERIENCE
$85Â
Pricing increase to $95 on January 1, 2026
Your Ticket Includes Everything in General Admission Plus:
- Create Your Own Self-Care Kit
- Custom Bath Soak Experience
- Guided Journaling Session
- Keepsake Journal
- Yoga Session
- Priority VIP Seating
- + More VIP surprises!
VIP is limited and will sell out before October 1. Don’t wait.
Secure Your VIP Experience
THE REVIEWS ARE IN
GYNA MCELWEE
PHOENIX REAL ESTATE SOLUTIONS
Self-Care Social was the highlight of my week and a fabulous way to start my week. Amazing people and a fabulous host and organizer. Thank you, Latoya!
JAMELIA AMOR
AMOR FOUNDATION
Self Care Social was a perfect way to enjoy outside, spa like activities, and social time with the girls! Games, conversation, reflection, and set ups was beautiful to see! Great way to meet new entrepreneurs with the pressure. Grab your friends and be there for the next one!
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PARTNER WITH US.
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If you believe your brand aligns with the spirit of Self-Care Social™, we'd love to hear from you.
This experience is designed to offer intentional rest, reconnection, and real support for people navigating stress, burnout, and life transitions. We're partnering with brands and creators who understand the impact of creating space for care and want to be part of that.
Whether you'd like to contribute through sponsorship, vending, volunteering, or media coverage, we've created multiple ways to partner with us in a way that's meaningful and mutually impactful.
PAST SPONSORS & PARTNERS
MEET YOUR HOST
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I'm Latoya Shanell, and I know what it feels like to hold everything together while quietly falling apart. I'm an award-winning event strategist, wife, and mom of three. I'm the CEO of L' Shanell + Co., an event management and marketing agency with nearly two decades of experience creating transformational experiences for brands, businesses, and communities. I'm also the owner of multiple businesses that demand my time, my creativity, and my energy every single day.
Like many of you, I juggle a lot. I wear many hats, show up for everyone around me, and have spent years pouring into others before remembering to pour into myself. I know what it feels like to be depleted, overstimulated, and running on empty while still trying to show up as your best self, not just in your professional life, but in your personal life too.
The world isn't making it any easier.
We are living through one of the most emotionally exhausting seasons many of us have ever experienced. The political climate, economic uncertainty, global unrest, and the relentless pace of everyday life are taking a very real toll on our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. We scroll through the news and feel heavy. We go to work and push through. We come home and do it all over again. The weight of simply existing right now is something we don't talk about nearly enough.
Then there's grief.
In the past few months, I've lost close relatives and a dear friend. Grief has a way of stopping you in your tracks and reminding you that time is precious, that connection matters, and that we cannot keep putting ourselves last. Grief taught me that we cannot pour from an empty cup, and we cannot heal what we refuse to acknowledge.
Last year, I hosted two community events that stayed with me long after they ended: "The Different Faces of Grief: A Grief Town Hall" and "Who's Caring for the Caregiver." The conversations in those rooms were raw, honest, and deeply needed. What struck me most was just how much we are not taking care of ourselves, not just on the surface, but in the deep-rooted places we rarely give ourselves permission to tend to.
That's exactly why I created Self-Care Social™.
Rest is not a reward. Stillness is not laziness. Grief is not weakness. Surrounding yourself with a community of people who truly get it is one of the most powerful investments you can make, not just in your professional life, but in your personal life too.
Self-Care Social™ is my love letter to every person who has put themselves last for far too long. It's your permission slip to slow down, exhale, release what's heavy, and remember that you deserve care too.
I can't wait to welcome you into this space.
SECURE YOUR POSITIVE VIBES