Chicago’s Moving Sense of Community

Has there been a moment in your life when you’ve experienced the city of Chicago’s amazing sense of community? If so, please submit a video telling your story of togetherness, cohesivesness and collective euphoria and you can win a chance to Vancouver in 2010. Tell us about a time when the city’s cohesiveness made you realize we would be the perfect host for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Last night, we saw the perfect example when millions of people paraded through the streets of Chicago celebrating one of our own, Barack Obama being elected President of the United States. A moment similar to this was when the Chicago White Sox won the 2005 World Series. On that magical fall evening three years ago, we all walked freely in the midst of the downtown streets while throngs of people screamed and cheered wildly. Motorists honked their horns while totals strangers hugged each other and sang together. All this warmth and fuzziness was also present on the nights that the Chicago Bulls won their six NBA Championships when the city, much like it did yesterday, spelled out festively thematic words and pictures in the lights of the city skyscrapers.

How powerful can Chicago’s sense of community become? Last night, I celebrated Barack’s historical victory with close friend Paul Sajovec, Chief of Staff to Alderman Waguespack, 32nd Ward of the City of Chicago. He told me the story of what he did when the Bulls won their first title. Paul spent the earlier part of his youth in Chicago before his family moved to Detroit. On the night the Bulls won the title, he drove to Chicago from Detroit by himself, to celebrate the title and then drove back the same night by himself. That’s how strong the pull of Chicago’s civic pride is.

I know you have similar stories of your own, so please submit a video for the contest and tell the world! Show the global community our collective passion and unity and Why Chicago should host the Olympics.