The Gold Coast, Humboldt Park, Uptown, Lincoln Park itself- walking through these neighborhoods and more throughout the week was a wonderful experience. Yet, out of the five days of Walking Chicago, the last day stood out to me the most- a morning of beauty and discovery.
When I got off of the Pink Line at nine twenty that morning, I was just looking for a place to get a cup of coffee.
However, as I walked down the stairs, my attention was completely diverted. These were not your typical El station stairs- instead of being a nondescript shade of gray, the sides were covered with paintings. I was stepping on smiling yellow suns, orange dancing skeletons, a purple dragon flaring its tongue, every piece unique. The walls were full of art as well- I ran my hand along a wave of color as I picked up my pace, wondering if there was this amount of art outside as well. When I stepped out of the station, need for coffee forgotten, I was greeted by a burst of sharp yellow sunlight- then, as my eyes adjusted, a block scattered with murals. There seemed to be a new one every direction you looked: the front of a shop, the side of a narrow house, the corner- a neighborhood made of art. We walked to meet our tour guide, and every block we journeyed on down was vibrant with color and light. My steps became lighter; the morning was brimming with possibility.
Our tour guide, Luis Tubins, was a natural storyteller. He told the class at the very start, “We’re going to walk fast today,” and that is exactly what we did- twenty-two college freshman marching behind Luis as he purposefully led us to the first of many murals. He painted a picture with the story behind each mural that was as vivid as the murals themselves. The murals were physical representations of love, folklore, family, advocacy for human rights, and everything in between. The blocks of Pilsen that we walked through on our way to the next mural were full of life and small wonders as well. We trekked past a gray striped cat bathed in the warm morning sunlight on the windowsill, passed bees who paused their lazy circles to investigate the flowers on our group’s clothes, or the scent of someone’s perfume, before going on their way, a family-owned taco stand. The taco stand seemed too good to pass up, and I made a mental note to come back after the tour. This day in particular, full of art and life and stories, stood out to me. I have lived in Chicago all my life, but I had never visited Pilsen. It made me realize how much there is to explore, whether it be in another country or state or twenty minutes away. When you walk, you discover the world.
