Summertime Chi (Review)

sample

〰️

phil cohran

“on the beach”

voice credits

〰️

yaw agye

stacy patrice

otez gary

essence mcdowell

j. tracy

kiara sample

sukari stone

brian vaxter

kee humphrey

felicia vaxter

zana sanders

melanie bentley-tracy

sample 〰️ phil cohran “on the beach” voice credits 〰️ yaw agye stacy patrice otez gary essence mcdowell j. tracy kiara sample sukari stone brian vaxter kee humphrey felicia vaxter zana sanders melanie bentley-tracy

Black folks fully activate during summertime chi after the hawk or “mr. wind” transcends over the city through the harsh and brutal winters that we endure for half the year.

the loop neighborhood - community area (32)

day to night party - jackson park inner harbor - woodlawn neighborhood - community area (42)

bongo beach (63rd street beach) in woodlawn neighborhood - community area (42)

 

some say that chicago has two seasons - winter and construction. while there is some truth to that, Black chicagoans also look forward to summertime chi as not only the end to the hawk’s dominance over our lives, but when we fully activate and transform chicago into our summer wonderland.

 

Words and photography: april graham-jackson & Roderick E. Jackson

Published: July 2025

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bongo beach (63rd street beach) in woodlawn neighborhood - community area (42)

Chicagoland belongs to us during summertime chi and we absorb, consume, and delight ourselves in our city-region while it lasts.

 

east garfield park neighborhood - community area (27)

we conjure Black chicagoness, consisting of southern, caribbean, african, and various iterations of Blackness, as a root, route, and placemaking strategy to take up space and make our presence known, felt, and heard.

austin neighborhood - community area (25)

 

afro-guyanese picnic in hazel crest - south suburbs | chicago southland

museum campus - near south side neighborhood - community area (33)

silver room block party - bronzeville neighborhood - oakland community area (36)

silver room block party - hyde park neighborhood - community area (41)

we fish at historically Black bongo beach, cultivate stillness at church, locate calm by the lake, bbq in our backyards, sweat and dance with our whole chest at festivals, pursue radiant joy on the corner, and socialize on da block.

 

the loop neighborhood - community area (32)

 

day to night party - jackson park inner harbor - woodlawn neighborhood - community area (42)

 
PhotographyLungs Project