Adapting in Chicago

Grace Channell
Sep 4, 2018 · 4 min read

Being in a new environment this school year has brought about a lot of adapting in me and all coming from a place in me that I did not know I had. Finding mental and physical endurance that was uncovered by walking around a city that I had grown up around. Majority of the time traveling to and from the Loop in the heart of Chicago, I, a Chicago suburb kid, had not found adventure in any neighborhood other than the loop and Wrigleyville. Since my dad is a die hard cub fan and my grandparents live in the loop, I did not have much exposure to any other community featured in Chicago. Unaware of the difference in neighborhood cultures, this past week I was in for an experience that would give me a taste of all of the cultures of Chicago.

On Tuesday we went to the Chicago 360. I was amazed by the clouds being cut by the skyscrapers and how the cloud seemed to adapt to the skyscrapers and were unaffected by the human presence that had created them. These man-made buildings took into consideration the weather that that mother nature may place on them, but mother nature was not created to adapt to man-made things. Nature naturally adapts and does not change for man.

Then we continued onto the Gold Coast where we saw homes that were filled with history and amazing architecture. This was my favorite neighborhood that we visited because unlike the others it might not have been prided on diversity but on strong American architecture. I was inspired by the brick work and the combination of old and new. Right next to a brownstone building in this neighborhood would be a modern building built around the 1950s.

We also traveled to Hyde Park with a tour from a young man named Neal Sales-Griffin, and I saw him adapt to his life in Chicago’s south side. Growing up I was told, that the south side is dangerous and should be avoided in efforts to keep me from danger. Little did I ever educate myself on the south side other than what I heard on the nightly news. Neal brought a light to the south side one seems to want to share on the news. He told stories of him in the line of fire, but he told more stories that brought me joy. His essence and vibe when he was walking through his home neighborhood could brighten anyones day. Neal’s stories showed me that he adapted to his surrounding and used them to his advantage. Finding different schools in the area to help him grow and using his God given talents to find himself in a not so encouraging community.

Rodgers park has all these great murals. Each one different from the next, but as I walked past each one I imagined humans painting them. In my head, I saw each unique human being putting their ideas on a wall that was next to grocery stores, apartments, and the train. Their ideas adapted to life experiences that reminded them of the history of this country and the neighborhood itself. People in this neighborhood adapted to the changes of 1920s night life to gang violence.

The city of Chicago is a place of adaptation, continuously changing and growing with the people that live here. This town of neighborhoods gives citizens places to feel included, but through transportation allow us to feel the sensations in other neighborhoods. Each place we walked I saw culture, but mostly saw the people of Chicago find their niche and adapt to changes that may complicate their neighborhoods.

walking chicago: a windy city atlas

By studying and practicing the art of walking, we will use the material of everyday life - the rhythms and experiences of the streets of Chicago, its people, places, and things - as construction material for our compositions.

Grace Channell

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walking chicago: a windy city atlas

By studying and practicing the art of walking, we will use the material of everyday life - the rhythms and experiences of the streets of Chicago, its people, places, and things - as construction material for our compositions.

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