This weekend, according to elected officials, it is expected that President Donald Trump will send a massive surge of federal agents to Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. With all of this going on, Nelson didn’t seem worried about it impacting the festival.
First of all, the Nation of Islam is part of the festival security.
“I’m not part of the Nation of Islam, but I’ve long had deep respect for this group of brothers and sisters, you know, who really help support our community through love,” Nelson said. “So they provide the security and with it from a place of love.”
Nelson made it very clear: Trump won’t affect the 79th Street Renaissance Festival in any way.
“This belongs to our community and this is truly kind of a ground-up example of showcasing what a great event in our South Side community should look like,” Nelson said. “This really is about an event that’s really steeped on community engagement and Black folks celebrating each other and showcasing what a great place our community is.”
The inaugural Black and Bronze Fest is on Saturday, too, just minutes away from the 79th Street Renaissance Festival. This free event includes over 90 performers, across numerous artistic disciplines, celebrating the rich history of the area. Founded by award-winning Chicago-based recording artist, songwriter, and storyteller Jessica Lá Rel, the event encourages anyone who loves the culture of Black Chicago to come and support.
“It is disheartening that, for those of us organizing a community gathering, that we are having to prepare emergency evacuations and plans around the threat of federal enforcement in addition to standard security measures,” Jessica said in a written statement. “We recognize the humanity, decency and dignity of our community, and we are working to ensure our collective safety to have the vibrant celebration that our community deserves.”
Though we may be experiencing heavy political times, these festivals will go on and celebrate community. For those looking to get outside this weekend, here’s our list of events that you don’t want to miss.
