Of the top three most populated cities in the United States, New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, I was always fascinated most with the idea of Chicago. Everyone knows that if you want to be a theatre actor or a fashion designer, you go to New York. If you want to be a movie star or a content creator, you go to L.A. Chicago however, seemed covered in this cloak of anonymity, even with 2.75 million people living in the city. Before moving here, I almost viewed Chicago like a forgotten youngest child. What I did not know was that Chicago is so much more than Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park.
What truly draws people from all over to Chicago are the many diverse neighborhoods, each enveloped in their own rich history. Since starting this class, I have discovered that people do not come to Chicago to become something, rather it is who they already are that draws them in. From the Gold Coast to Goose Island, Uptown to Humboldt Park, Chicago’s neighborhoods say to people “no matter who you are, we have a place for you”. One of the best example Chicago’s eclectic neighborhoods is Pilsen. Although it is now home to a vast majority of Mexican American’s, the neighborhood still bears the name of their Czech founders.
There is a saying in some indigenous cultures that says that humans are supposed to exist in the same way nature does; to be “strange and beautiful.” Many people fear that as we progress in our capitalistic society, we will forget where we come from, trading our existence for a measuring unit of productivity. It is easy to get overwhelmed by that idea, and wrapped up in the social media craze; but, if you just take a moment and observe your surroundings, you will see that that is not true. One thing that stood out to me on one of our walks was at Humboldt Park. While sitting there, there was a group of men sitting on the sidewalk blasting music, and across from them, a group of women braiding each other’s hair. This really stood out to me because it was almost like a snapshot into the lives of the people who live in that area. It was very strange, but also very beautiful to see. One common theme that stuck out to me while walking was this concept of being able to be “strange”, but also being able to belong to something bigger, which is the greater Chicago area. I also learned a lot about what its like to live in a big city and got more acquainted with the city surroundings. It also helped to take the L with the whole class, because I did not know how to before.
