Celebrating Diversity: Murals in Uptown

I am enjoying the art, the sights and sounds of Uptown. Every major street seems to have some form of art that celebrates a local agency, people or events. In the coming weeks I will be video tapping murals from schools, social service agencies and community centers. They are all different but what they share in common is pride and a sense of celebration.


Public Mural: Racial Reconciliation

The mural that demands my attention everyday is the Mural of Racial Reconciliation. I pass it on my way to St. Mary of the Lake church. The mural was made by youth and adults from the Uptown Baptist Church. The church is a large, multi-ethnic church known for its service to the poor and the disenfranchised in the area. The mural always makes me smile.

On the side of my local library is a mural of the different peoples who have made the area their home. The mural is washed out and not particularly beautiful. However, it tells a story and beckons’ to be re-done., I am sure it will be.


Public Mural: Library

I especially like the murals in “Little Vietnam.” They tell the story of immigration and acclimation to Chicago. The pictures are powerful and inviting to look at. They are also inclusive address the history of a variety of peoples.

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Public Mural: Large Mural in Little Vietnam

In the coming weeks I will be filming more murals, they are everywhere. I can see enormous ones just looking out my apartment window. They are just one more way of celebrating the most ethnically diverse neighborhood in Chicago