Rewind Five Years: What Was Life Like For Chicago Youth In 2021?

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Sasha-Ann Simons (0:42)

Hey Chicago, I'm Sasha-Ann Simons, and this is In the Loop.

Be sure to listen all the way through the podcast for a breakdown of the day's top local stories. But first, think back to 2021

Now think about what it must have been like for the students in our lives. School was often on a screen, plans were uncertain, and young people across Chicago were trying to make sense of a world that was virtually turned upside down. More than 5,000 of them put all those thoughts, fears, and expressive artwork into a time capsule. And now five years later, the capsule has been opened. In this episode of the pod, we'll hear some of their pandemic stories being highlighted in a new exhibit at the Harold Washington Library, inviting you to reflect on that moment in recent history too. At the table with me was Stacey Gillett, who's co-founder and executive director of Living Record, which creates time capsules with young people in Chicago. And Chris Brown, Chicago Public Library commissioner. Now, all this talk of time capsules had me thinking back to my own past and whether I had done this activity before. So I thought I'd ask the panelists the same question. Commissioner Brown went first.

Chris Brown (1:57)

Maybe, I probably would have put something in there like an action figure or something.

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:03)

As a kid, right? Yeah.

Chris Brown (2:05)

These kids are coming up with much more moving, reflective moments that I find incredible.

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:12)

Yeah, same. I mean, my high school, I remember did sort of a time capsule thing. We opened up a time capsule from like 100 years prior. And I vaguely remember that moment as well. But Stacey, what about you? Tell me you did something like this as a child.

Stacey Gillett (2:28)

Honestly, I think I did one in elementary school, but I have no recollection of what I put into it to be kind of. And no one's followed up with me ever to say that it's been reopened.

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:38)

And that's what always happens, right? Or often happens, I should say, right? There's no circle back to, you know, whatever happened to that thing that I placed in a box. But in this case, you unsealed this time capsule after only five years, which, of course, doesn't seem like a long time. Tell us the value, though, in opening it up relatively early.

Stacey Gillett (2:58)

Absolutely. Well, we did this and we did that shorter time period because, to your point, we really wanted people to have the benefit of being able to look back on a time when they contributed, or even if they didn't contribute, when they remember that time and history that we're reflecting back upon. So, oftentimes, the time capsule that maybe is opened 100 years, 500 years later, plays this role that's a bit more historical.

We really wanted it to play a role that is more about one's own individual reflection, and thinking on, what was that time like for me? What has changed since then for good and bad? Who am I at at this moment? Who do I want to be in the future? So, that really can play both this individually powerful role and also can serve a role as building connection and community, as you really reflect on that own journey that you've been on, and come to learn about the journeys and experiences and hopes of your peers and those in your community.

Sasha-Ann Simons (3:49)

Yeah, I want to hear more about that because we, I think, are so traditionally used to talking about the historical value here when it comes to time capsules. But you did talk with our producer before and a bit now about the community value here.

Stacey Gillett (4:05)

Absolutely. So, you know, for us, the time capsule is really not the point. Like, the time capsule is an interesting mechanism. It's something that is engaging to people. It has a suspense, you know, to it of what's going to be like when it opens up. So it's really a powerful framework as we think about it. But it's not the point of it itself. The point of the experience that we're taking people through is really being able to give them a creative, a hands-on opportunity to say, What does shape me? What are all the things that have come before me that have made me who I am today?