Masks of Chicagoland: Portraits of the City Part 3

This is the third article in this series. Check out part one and part two.

Helicopters float overhead while I write in the City of Chicago as the city dives deeply into a murky pool to discuss race and power. The city still moves as it did before. Though the National Guard posts up just outside my window, men and women still go about their day.

Film crews, cameras, and national reporters focus on headlines and press conferences, but the city’s real life comes from her people. Masks of Chicagoland set out to record the changing faces of the city through the people on her streets. They’re not the newsmakers, but they are the life of our town.

Our neighbors. Our city.

These are the people that roam our city. They’re in parks and on the streets. They walk through neighborhoods and business districts. They ride the Red Line and go to work. They remind us that our televisions don’t define Chicago. The flashing lights don’t illuminate the heart of our city.

Life doesn’t stop

As the city began to emerge from her COVID slumber, I stumbled on a celebration in a small park in the West Loop. I don’t know whether it was a wedding, a graduation, or maybe some friends decided it would be fun to wear tuxedos in the park, surrounded by food trucks and social distancing.

Real life: Not social media

Remember that real life is different from what our screens show us. Real life is people. Real life is walks in the park. It’s families on taking a break from virtual learning. It’s essential workers on their way to their jobs. While The Conversation seems to dominate on everyone’s mind, life continues. Family, friends, and community.