Way back in 2000, during an episode of his late-night talk show, comedian Chris Rock charted Black progress in America, essentially the back-and-forth of Black Americans in their efforts to reach the proverbial “there.”
In this hilarious bit, Rock spoke of the steps forward, which included advances Black folks made in civil rights, politics and other areas. But he also joked about the many steps backward, like embarrassing missteps of some Black entertainers, which seemed to negate that progress.
“We’re trying to get there, trying to get there on our own. But things just keep happening,” he said.
And just when Black folks were a few steps from reaching their goal, the infamous melee at the 2000 Source Awards happened and knocked us completely off the board.
Until a few years ago, I’d completely forgotten about that routine. And then I saw news reports of Black teens running through the streets of downtown Chicago during a so-called teen takeover.
In a word, it was appalling.
I was left shaking my head at the sight of Black teens fighting in the middle of the street, dancing on the tops of cars and buses, and darting in and out of traffic. I was saddened by the reports of theft, vandalism, battery and shootings — including the death of one teen.
If Rock were to update his chart, surely he’d include these moments, which have become an annual ritual in our city as the weather gets warm.
As videos of the mayhem have gone viral, the takeovers might also serve as exhibits that just strengthen the case for many to fear and stereotype Black youth — a real-life interpretation of Rock’s comedic routine about missteps that impede Black progress.
Perhaps it’s not fair to place such a burden on the shoulders of young people, but that’s the unfair reality for Black people — the sins of a few are shouldered by the masses.
And for that reason, Chicago’s Black youth bear a heavier responsibility to be more mindful of their actions — because they won’t serve just as a reflection of their character but of their families and their entire community.
But Black youth aren’t the only ones who should take stock of the broader impact of their actions regarding teen takeovers.
As Chicago tries to figure out how to deal with the gatherings of hundreds of Black teens in our most decorated spaces, let’s also think about what we’re communicating to the vast majority of Black youth who show up just to hang out with friends, meet new ones and have fun. They’re not all stealing, brawling or toting weapons.
The city has made positive steps by partnering with community groups to help quell violent acts during the takeovers, and city officials have engaged with young people about how to address the gatherings.
However, our public discussions have mostly focused on how to prevent the takeovers altogether rather than how to manage them and prevent the violence that has occurred during some of them. With the use of geofencing and the talk of stricter curfew laws, in effect, we’re telling Black youth, “we don’t want you here.”
It’s as if there’s no other way to protect people and property than to discourage Black teens from coming downtown. Don’t get me wrong, the gatherings present a real public safety threat, but can’t we address the teen takeovers the way we handle even larger crowds that gather downtown?
Music festivals, concerts, parades and sporting events bring thousands of people to the places where Black teens have gathered downtown. Yet they don’t seem to draw the same level of feverish concern.
Those events, too, sometimes produce disturbing outcomes, and the potential threat to public safety is even greater considering the massive crowds they attract. But we know when they’re going to happen.
With teen takeovers, we don’t get much notice when they’re going to occur. Police and community groups are often scrambling to assemble once they catch wind of the takeovers on social media.
In the midst of all the controversy surrounding teen takeovers, we might forget they don’t all result in violence.
During a visit to a South Side beach with friends earlier this month, one of my daughters happened upon a teen takeover. It was the same beach where a teen takeover led to a chaotic scene two years ago.
Things were different this time. She witnessed dozens of teens listening to music, dancing, laughing and socializing. There was also a heavy police presence. But there was no fighting and no trouble.
“I actually had a pretty good time,” she said.
Like all of us, Black teens want to experience the sights, sounds and excitement of downtown. There’s a buzz you feel there that you won’t experience anywhere else in the city. No matter what we do, Black teens — like all young people in the Chicago area — are going to come downtown.
Maybe if we invite them and offer some level of structure in terms of space, programming and amenities, we can attract teens who just truly want to have fun, while giving police and others an opportunity to fully prepare in the event things go awry.
And even if they do, perhaps we can understand that the problems caused by some Black teens shouldn’t serve as justification to typecast them all.
Alden Loury is data projects editor for WBEZ and writes a column for the Sun-Times.
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