Common returned to his native Chicago on June 11 with one specific message: #FindYourPark.
The Oscar-winning rapper and actor partnered with the National Park Service and National Park Foundation to celebrate the centennial of the National Park System in Washington Park on Chicago’s Southside.
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“The whole thought behind Find Your Park is about bringing some peace and happiness,” Common said as he acknowledges the violence plaguing his hometown. “People, or media, or sometimes we can focus on the tough things that’s going on in the city, but this is a beautiful city [with] incredible people here. So, it’s like, Find Your Park is, to me, one of those elements and aspects about our city that we can enjoy.”
Common served as the honorary Grand Marshall for the celebration, which highlighted the history of jazz from New Orleans and Chicago with the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Chicago) and the New Orlean’s Treme Brass Band and Black Men of Labor.
The free event also featured an interactive station from insurance-company Humana. It demonstrated the physical and mental benefits of spending time at national, state and local community parks across the country. Participants were virtually transported to rugged rock formation of the Joshua Tree in southern California and the massive Sequoia forests of Yosemite, also in California.
Common, born Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., spent much of his childhood on Chicago’s Southside at local parks. In fact, he and his friends used to host performances in the parks and watched people breakdance at their neighborhood parks.
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It wasn’t until he was 21 that he was able to see the world outside of Chicago, visiting the Statue of Liberty on New York’s Liberty Island.
“Statue of Liberty was the first one [National Park] that I got to go to,” he said. “At the time, I didn’t know it was a National Park, but it is.”
The national monument, a gift from France in the 1880s, made him appreciate being an American. He also realized his love of being outdoors.
“For me, getting to travel was a mind opener in many ways,” Common added. “It has enhanced my creativity to go out and be able to meditate and be at peace and to enjoy some of the nature. I always told some of my friends, sometimes when you’re traveling, just looking at the mountains or looking at something beautiful, it’s influencing you.”
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The hip-hop legend encourages African Americans to take advantage of the parks and nature – whether for barbecues, exercising or overall exploration.
“Check out the parks that we have access to here [in Chicago] and then also, at some point, think about going to see other parks like Yellowstone and going to the Grand Canyon.”
A calendar of events taking place across the country to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial can be found at FindYourPark.com/Find.
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