But Why Can't We Ever Win?

A Wonder in My Soul was a heartwarming play that featured strong female leads who depicted a telling history of the roots of Chicago’s Black community as well as the result of gentrification in the present. The play tugged at the audience’s heart strings and provided comedic relief to the alleviate the load of the heavy subjects presented. In attempt to target two audiences, those who belong to the Black community and those who do not, the play’s underlying message of cultural preservation may have been muddled due to the attempted balance.

Gentrification, the displacement of low income people in urban neighborhoods, presented itself as the driving force throughout the play. While the topic is serious in nature, the play was sprinkled with jokes to ease the sensitivity of the subject. In doing so, it allowed for the audience to relax a bit before jumping back into the seriousness of the topic. However, some of the jokes I did not find funny. The shop regular who was of higher economic

class would constantly express her concern over the safety of her top of the line vehicle in this rundown Chicago neighborhood that was soon to be lifted by the promise of gentrification. In the end of the play, the regular’s worst nightmare became reality when she stepped out the emptied shop to discover the rims on her vehicle to be missing. Her comedic reaction triggered an immediate out roar from the audience, most of whom were White. While it is clear what the playwright was attempting to do with the comedy, it reaffirmed the stereotypes associated with these neighborhoods who are faced with the problem of gentrification. It reiterated the need of gentrification because the process promises the removal of the unsafe neighborhoods by pushing out the problem – people who can no longer afford to live there, which just so happens to be mostly low income people of color.

The message of unity of resilience and echoed throughout the performance. Following the lives of two small business owners, originally from Mississippi who find themselves in history as a part of the Great Migration, strength is a significant characteristic featured within these characters. In doing so, strength includes the ability to stand tall despite consistently being knocked down. Therefore, although the hair salon was lost due to gentrification it is imperative to demonstrate strength despite it all. Culture was where the strength was found. The strong belief i

n being rooted in one’s culture and history presented itself as the light in the bleak darkness of gentrification. While the message was uplifting and provided a glimpse of hope, again, I believe it supported the argument for those for gentrification. The way I saw it was—since people of color always persevere, their displacement is fine because they will always pick up roots somewhere else.  

I wish the story went in a different direction. Yes, the story was telling of the hardships gentrification presents because of the building was ultimately bought out to be transformed into a Starbucks. And in doing so, the story allowed for the strength of Black people to be the heroes of the story, however, the message can be misinterpreted and misconstrued to ease the minds of the gentrifiers.

I wish stereotypes weren't exploited and perpetuated on the account of making a White audience laugh. I wish the shop could have been saved and history could have been preserved. I wish redemption was an option. I wish they could have kept their business. I wish it presented a narrative of resilience as the community fought back and won, instead of resilience being seen when the community was defeated.

The narrative of strength despite hardships has been told time in and time out. I wish the possibility of Black people being able to keep what is theirs after fighting for what was threatened to be taken away was given a chance. Yes, we are strong. But why can’t ever win?