A Walk Into The Colorful World Around Us
Field Notes:
I start my walk at 8:00 on a calm Monday morning. The streets are calm with a few cars passing by. I am worried about matching my colors. I started walking towards Fullerton and turned right towards the train. The first thing I find to match my swatch is an unfortunate head of lettuce, outside of the library. The next thing I find is a chewed-up piece of gum on a garden box across the street from the library.
As I continue to walk, I pass several people who seem to be heading to the train. I walk past several green trees, brown homes, and black railings. My head keeps turning left and right looking for items that match my swatches. As I continue this walk, I begin to notice how much color there is around me. There is a little library box painted blue, doors painted all sorts of colors, and flowers of every color. I decide to turn down Orchard Street for a change of scenery. There is a senior living complex full of people. The street is lined with homes and cars. Past the senior living building, I find an empty box of Newport cigarettes. The bottom of the box matches my swatch.
There are several homes with colorful doors, plants, and decorations. I see a large church and decide to change sides of the streets in hopes of finding more colors. Unfortunately, I did not find any matching colors. I notice a school further up that looks to have a colorful playground. The playground is full of green and blue. This street has not been as fruitful as I would hoped so I turn on Drummond Place to see if I will be luckier this way. Drummond ends so I turn left on Clark. I find a Lincoln Park shopping and dining sign that matches my swatch. Clark is colorful with a large Target, a marshmallow shop, a Starbucks, and overflowing flower boxes. At the corner of the intersection of Clark, Broadway, and Diversy, I find a cup in Starbucks that matches my purple. The picture is not giving it justice.
I do not want to cross the street so I turn left on Diversy. This street is short and full of color but not my color. With more flower boxes and a weird statue. I turn left on Orchard Street again. As I am walking, I find a garden full of Russian sage that matches my purple. This concludes my walk and I decide to walk back to my dorm.
I chose the question about the right to the city. Hollis and Lefebvre define “the right to the city” as an idea that the people who live in should have a right to plenty of public spaces. They believe that everyone who lives in the city should have a right to the city. Everyone should have access to public spaces but not everyone does. Companies buy up public land and continue to build new buildings. Parks close at certain times and they are few and far between. In Dumke’s article, Mayor Lightfoot ordered something that restricts people’s access to their own homes. They are being separated from their neighbors. In Posner’s article, she talks about how parls close accompanied by police officers. Places meant to stay open all are patrolled. All of the authors speak about how unjust the treatment of public spaces. They talk about how people become disconnected from their homes and neighbors.
Word Count: 155
