On June 19th, 20,000 people took it to the streets from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to celebrate artistic expression, spirituality, and urban creativity to inspire social change in Marquette Park on 6734 S. Kedzie Avenue. The all-day event appropriately titled “Takin’ it to the Streets” was a Muslim-led festival that sought to connect diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities through a dynamic exchange of goods, ideas, and music.
Takin it to the Streets was produced by the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN, pronounced ee-MAHN, which is also an Arabic term that means faith), a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that promotes social justice in urban communities. Sponsors of the event included Pepsico, Discover, Edible Arrangements, 91.5 WBEZ and the Chicago Community Trust, amongst others.
As festival goers entered Marquette Park, they were greeted with free health screenings, skateboarders doing tricks, trolleys touring the park, and local graffiti artists designing murals ranging from Arabic calligraphy praising God to phrases advising humanity to “Stay Humble.”
Along the pathway in the park, visitors could listen to music while munching on everything from chicken shawarmas to Halal hotdogs. After a hearty meal washed down by a fruit smoothie and some Italian ice, people visited the bazaar to support local artists and join community organizations. And when the call to prayer came, Muslim visitors could easily gather in the Prayer Center fashioned in a tent-like structure equipped with prayer rugs.
Following prayer, it was back to the celebration. With 4 stages and 100 artists, Takin’ it to the Streets celebrated artists from Minnesota to Mali. The Unity Stage offered music from contemporary artists; the World Music Stage played international beats; the Hip Hop Pavilion offered rap and DJ styles; and the Streets Stage gave speakers a voice to inspire the festival goers. The highlight of the festival was when Grammy Winner Mos Def took the stage at the Hip Hop Pavilion at 7:45pm. It was a finale like no other.
However, the beauty of the event was not in the food or the festivities, but in the people themselves. The festival resembled a United Nations of sorts with Muslims and non-Muslims alike, rappers of every race, and everyone enjoying the celebrations together with no qualms about who was sitting, dancing, or eating next to them. It was all smiles and laughter. It was unity in the face of adversity – all to support Urban America.
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