The Beauty of Summer in Chicago, 2016
I chose this photo because I loved the way people are gathered together on the lake: They’re relaxing, talking, swimming and lounging. In my country, August is usually the rainy season, so it is cold and we don’t like to go outside. In Chicago, August is the time when everyone enjoys the outdoors.
When we see the buildings in this photo, the clouds surround them and provide a powerful backdrop. And the buildings create a dramatic silhouette against this summer evening sky. I also like the way the street lights and the lights inside the buildings add another layer of beauty to the skyline.
We feel a sense of happiness spending downtime together with our friends and family. When people gather around water, it touches them in a profound way and makes their souls rejoice. As high school students in Ethiopia, my friends and I used to spend time walking around the lake in our neighborhood on warm evenings, and I remember these moments fondly. On the summer night when I took this picture in Chicago, I felt a collective experience with the people around me. Even though I didn’t know them, I felt that we were connected through this beautiful evening on Lake Michigan.
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.
