Thomas Gouard
Just recently I had the pleasure of witnessing the pride that many Puerto Ricans have within the city of Chicago. There was a Puerto Rican parade, but due to work I was unable to attend. However, I was able to drive through Humboldt Park, after the parade finished to get a feel of the pride that many Puerto Ricans have in our city. I dub Humboldt Park as my escape from my less gentrified and less diverse neighborhood (East Garfield Park), which is a top reason why I am an avid visit to Humboldt Park. My visits are mostly to its large park to run because I encounter many fitness enthusiasts like myself, plus I vibe off the Puerto Rican culture which is a breath of fresh air for me since I live in a dominantly African American neighborhood.
The flag represents and symbolizes the island of Puerto Rico and its people. Each part of this flag has its own meaning. The three red stripes represent the blood from the brave warriors. The two white stripes represent the victory and peace that they would have after gaining independence. The white star represented the island of Puerto Rico. The blue represents the sky and blue coastal waters.
Many of the vehicles pictured were doing loops around Humboldt Park, plus out-and-back trips on North Avenue in Humboldt Park neighborhood.
