The Prompt: 

Think back to a moment when your city held you when you felt care, connection, comfort, or joy in this city.

Give That Moment A Five Word Title:

Obama-nation on top of port-a-potty

Put that moment on an intersection of Feeling & Noun:

Hope and Election

TELL YOUR STORY

Five Storytelling Beats

Where Are You?

I'm sitting on top of a port-a-potty in Millennium Park

 
 

 

 

Why Are You There?

I came to get a glimpse of the newly elected president.

What Happened in This Moment?

I climbed on top of the port-a-potty to get a glimpse of the crowd. The giant screens set up in the park show Obama taking the stage, then pan to people in the audience who are crying, cheering, and shouting. I stared at the scene in front of me, overcome with feelings of community and hope for the future.

What Changed for you because of this moment?

I felt like the country was taking a step toward the promise it supposedly embodies. I felt like my vote and my participation in the government mattered. I felt like Chicago was represented and I felt an immense feeling of community and togetherness with everyone around me.

Why Does Your Memory Hold On To This Moment?

As the world burns around us, this moment is such a juxtaposition to every election since then. It was a moment where it felt like everyone in the city was celebrating the same thing and looking in the same direction.