CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s inauguration on Monday was a multicultural fest that included a pastor, a rabbi, an imam, poems about stolen land, and the “black national anthem” alongside “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The ceremony at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Credit Union 1 Arena began with a vibrant number by the Mantu Dance Theatre, which performed an “authentic and progressive interpretation of contemporary and ancient African and African-American dance, music, and folklore.” The Chicago-based movement company is also focused on “preserving traditional African dance while creating new works that build on African, Caribbean, and African-American cultural traditions,” according to its webpage.
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The 2-minute and 56-second performance was followed by songs from the Destiny Worship and Praise Chorale.
The invocation, which included hard-to-miss political overtones, was given by the Rev. Otis Moss III. Rabbi Shoshanah Conover recited a prayer for the new mayor and compared him to Joseph, a biblical character who went from prisoner to prince and is part of one of the more layered stories found in the Torah. Following the rabbi came Imam Hassan Aly, who prayed for guidance for Johnson’s first term.
There was a poem read by Avery Young, who was tapped as the inaugural Chicago Poet Laureate by outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot. As Chicago Poet Laureate, Young was awarded $50,000 for the commissioning of new poems and serves as an ambassador for the city’s creative communities. Young’s poem “& whereas a dream can blast(t) off” paid tribute to the city and its diversity and was met with enthusiastic cheers.
The national anthem was performed by Cassandra Figueroa, while the “black national anthem,” “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” was performed by Walt Whitman and The Soul Children of Chicago, Chicago’s “gospel ambassadors” to the world.
“Our event series reflects the diversity of Chicago and the many vibrant cultures that call this city home,” Alex Sims-Jones, director of the Inaugural Event Series. “This symbolizes the crucial moment we’re in, and uniting people from every neighborhood and every community.”
The theme of unity was one of Johnson’s main themes in his speech Monday morning. As the 57th mayor of America’s third-largest city, Johnson inherited a problem-plagued metropolis that has been struggling with safety, inequality, and in-fighting among City Hall and its elected aldermen.
“We have so much in common, y’all,” he said. “We really do.”
Johnson also acknowledged Chicagoans who did not feel safe in their city and admitted there were not enough resources going toward mental health or education.
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He also spoke about the state of emergency declared in the city over thousands of illegal immigrants being bused to Chicago by Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX).
“We don’t want our story to be told that we were unable to house or provide safe harbor for those who are seeking refuge here,” he said to an eruption of applause. “There is enough room for everybody in the city of Chicago, whether you are seeking asylum or you are looking for fully funded neighborhoods.”
