Thinking of Home, 2017
I was drawn to this picture, first of all, because of the colors. I really love the artwork on the overpass: It looks like the blue waves of Lake Michigan. I also love how the artwork complements the blue of the garbage truck as it is passing underneath.
This photo was also compelling to me because of the garbage truck itself, and the way the garbage collection system works in Chicago. There is usually one worker hanging on the back of the truck, as well as a driver. In this case, the driver kept stopping every few blocks so that the worker on the back could collect the garbage at different corners from designated bins. For me, this was so interesting because in my country, we don’t have a system like this. When I first saw this, I thought to myself: If I ever go back to my country, Uganda, this could be a great idea for communities there because it would keep the city clean.
Here, they collect the garbage every day. In my country, they collect it about every four to five days, which is not enough. The system in Chicago is a great one also because it simplifies the duties for the workers: They have an organized route, and they only have to stop at each garbage bin. In Uganda, the garbage collectors have a much harder job because they have to pick up garbage wherever they see it, and it can be anywhere on the streets since we don’t use garbage bins there.
In the online exhibit Picturing a New Life in Chicago, people who were forced to flee their home countries because of war, persecution or violence share photos and inspiring stories about adjusting to a new life here. Some of the photographers came to Chicago through a refugee resettlement program. Others sought political asylum. Learn more in Online Exhibit: Forced Migration Photovoice Project.
