MORGAN PARK — Tom and Jenny Pruim had plans to celebrate their anniversary on Friday night. Those plans changed after racist graffiti surfaced last week near their Morgan Park home.
Rather than spend the evening dining at a nice restaurant, the Pruims attended a vigil in support of the six victims who found graffiti on their cars, garages and homes. The vandalism took place over a two-day span beginning late last Friday and ending early Sunday.
"We needed to get out here and show that we are proud to live in a multicultural community," Jenny Pruim said.
Graffiti was found in six locations within the 10800 and 10900 blocks of South Hermosa Drive and the 11000 block of South Esmond Street - less than a block from Morgan Park High School.
"We don't have much of an update, unfortunately," 22nd District Police Commander Daniel Godsel told the crowd of about 75 people gathered in a high school parking lot in the 11000 block of South Hermosa Drive.
Godsel encouraged those gathered to call 911 to report suspicious activity and promised to continue searching for the person or persons responsible for the crime.
"You have to show you are not afraid," Godsel said.
Count Cheryl James among the unafraid victims. Her garage and SUV were covered in racist graffiti sometime early Saturday morning.
"I love Morgan Park - Beverly. I've been here since 1971. They ain't getting me out of here," James told the crowd of neighbors, police, community leaders and concerned citizens.
Looking for a silver lining, James said at least her prized Porsche Cayenne was safely tucked away within the garage at the time of the incident.
"If it was my Cayenne, I would have needed oxygen," she said.
The Rev. Erwin Lee of Morgan Park Church of God helped to organize the community awareness candlelight vigil on Friday. He's been involved in the church that's less than a mile from where the graffiti was found for 14 years.
"I was outraged to see the vandalism and what it said," Lee said.
He later joined eight other pastors and religious leaders in prayer. The crowd held hands as Lee and Julius Noble, a pastor who is also among the victims of the racist graffiti, put their concerns in the hands of a higher power.
"God is going to take care of this for us," Noble said.
Ald. Matthew O'Shea (19th) said the well-attended vigil reflects the strong sense of community that embodies his Southwest Side Ward - where neighbors look out for one another regardless of their racial background.
"For anyone who is here that is shocked by this turnout, you shouldn't be," he said.
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