In Chicago, some old stories are revisited, reversed, and renewed.
I visited Chicago 16 years ago. I only had a brief 2 days here, there was a shooting, and I was only a very scared young foreign student to be traveling alone. Well, technically I got stuck at Chicago Ohare airport A LOT (Thanks, United), so there’s always that negative association, too.
I’m visiting a good friend that I met in California who recently moved back, and he has completely renewed Chicago for me. For context (and it will be important to the subsequent stories), he’s black. It’s a little bit sad that our communities do not traditionally bond together in North America. My theory (unverified) is that America exports its racism so well through media, that Asians usually associate our black neighbors with negative stereotypes, and our black friends often think of Asians as model minority, stuck up, and, ironically, racist. Yet, with the pandemic, with movements like Black lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate, we are stronger together now. More than that, more than strategy and oppression, we found ourselves appreciating each other’s culture, vibrancy, and love. The world needs more Blasian babies
So I’ve been accused in the past of making everything about race. Well, maybe so, in North America. But it’s hard to notice these stories, the evidence, and the traces of histories in the communities. It’s more profound here in America It’s more profile here in Chicago. We see the gentrified neighborhoods. We see neighborhood and trains that are working-class and older compared to the upscale neighborhood. We see that even in a diverse communities like Boystown. Race issues and stories are everywhere, and only the privileged get to ignore them and turn a (color)blind eye.
Instead, there are better stories out there. I highly recommend the show “Insecure” to anyone interested in a more nuianced story-telling approach to black excellence, and black love, and living in a different America, even in the “woke” epicenter of Hollywood. Also, try to get this song out of my head and failing
The story of Chicago runs deep, in its architecture, in its food (that is not my favorite, but hey, some love their hot dogs without ketchup and their pizza filled to the rim. I respect that), and in its people. Also, in its black gay woman mayor that is kicking ass and taking names (and really needing a better haircut, I’m sure the gays will line up to do her hair).
We all should know (and learn) that stories can change. Stories evolve when 2 elements are in place, when there are new characters in place (my friend) and enough time have passed and new baseline has established. Chicago has changed. The world has changed.
Yet, in the packed gay bars, and in the diverse multicolored murals of places and people I saw in Chicago, there is that famliar sense of aliveness, of the old stories, of love and embrace and resilience.
We all have our stories. We saw them. We experienced them. We made them up in our head (some made up more stories more drinks they had). I saw my younger self in someone else, strong and insecured, caring and controling, passonate and neurotic, kind and blunt. Contradictions that co-exist in an “and” form. Conflicts that co-exist in one person. The most important thing to realize is, that we need to acknowledge our imperfections to to be a better person, yet we need to embrace our humanity and flaws to be authentic. We need to all be our guacamole and not ketchup (you pay extra for guac). There will always be people who call us a c*$nt for our BS, AND they love us AND they stay anyways. Enablement and encouraging is care. But honesty and true authentic feedback is love. We all deserve to be loved. We all deserve to not settle. I hope he finds his way, and his version of happiness, similar to the way I did. Not the same version of what I have. Better. Because he deserves better.
Everyone loves stories with happy endings. Every story with happy-ending has an immense amount of struggles in every episode.
And my version of happy-ending is not “Fin” – “the end”. Mine involves having abilities to have more stories, to tell more stories, of growth, and love, and earned happiness.
Pace Fine Arts 