Chicago got a sweet taste of southern comfort and jazz from New Orleans this past weekend.
On Saturday, June 11, Chicago native Common hosted the National Park 100th Anniversary celebration on the Windy City’s south side Washington Park, infusing the rich cultures, music and heritage of two cities.
The Oscar winner, who was named the Honorary Grand Marshall at the free event which was open to the public, addressed the rampant gun violence wrecking pockets of the city to the Huffington Post.
“Each year, Chicago is leading the country in murders and it’s real sad. The difference is, when I was younger we didn’t go straight to shooting, we got into a lot of fist fights — that was a part of growing up. It wasn’t like, ‘Man, I wanna take this person’s life.’ It was like, ‘Man, we’re just gonna box real quick and keep it moving.”
The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and the Tremé Brass Band, featured on Beyoncé‘s platinum album Lemonade, brought the sounds of Louisiana to Washington Park, the largest park in Chicago, spanning three miles in a second line—a unique opportunity to unite communities to join in with the festivities, as the jazz bands strut around the park playing their instruments.
The 44-year-old rapper/actor/activist continued,
“As we all know, it’s been a struggle here in Chicago with violence. So first and foremost, I just want them to come out and feel good, feel happy and celebrate. If I can bring some peace and some hope, and some dreams through the music and through this whole celebration of the national parks, that’s what I want people to leave with.”
The celebration of the National Park Service’s centennial aims to highlight the diversity of America’s park experiences, encouraging communities to #FindYourPark, with three nationwide events in Austin, Texas, Chicago and concluding in New York.
Photo credit: Getty Images
