Kia Smith 
Chicago Historian, Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, recently made a special appearance on True Star’s “From The ‘Go Show,” paving the way forward using knowledge as his roadmap. Dilla leads a powerful conversation about not only historical facts but acquiring knowledge and using it as a path.
Dilla had historical facts for us, defending his iconic claim that “Everything dope about America comes from Chicago.” We challenged him to list everything that came from Chicago in a rapid fire style format for a minute straight. If you’re from Chicago, the list he gave really ignites your pride for the city, as it establishes Chicago as the number one culture progressor in the entire country. The list consisted of food, music and life practices that are synonymous with the American way of life, such as the chocolate brownie, Drill music and Golden Glove Boxing, just to name a few.
We also wanted to dive deeper into history and explore how Chicago became one of the most segregated cities in the world. Dilla identifies the Chicago Race Riots in 1919 as the culprit, where a Black teen was murdered at a segregated beach on July 27, 1919. In response, a week-long race riot ensued.
When it comes to using history for the betterment of Chicago, Dilla explained the importance of reading and the true power that knowledge gives you. “Books hold lived experiences and it gives you a roadmap for whatever it is you want to do. If somebody told you don’t drive down that street [because] it got potholes in it, a smart person would go down another street. That’s what reading is. Educating yourself by reading the lived experiences that exist in books gives you the power to carry out your dream in ways nobody has ever done.”
This explains the real meaning behind the phrase “Knowledge Is Power” and according to Dilla, “We’re at our best when we’re using our power for the future.” A prime example of people using their power for the future is the massive change going on in the Englewood community.
“Englewood got what I call The Great Return… You have people from that space caring about the space. Movements and organizations in that community such as, Unblocked Englewood, Imagine Englewood If…, and Englewood Branded were all started by people who grew up in that neighborhood. They went and got educated and then came to provide modern solutions to problems they were passionate about, and it should serve as an example to all who want to prosper a positive change in our beautiful city.”
Go check out the full episode below and follow us on our True Star Media YouTube page. The in-depth conversation about weaponizing knowledge and the steps we can take to make change is something you can’t get anywhere else.
By Gary Langfield Jr
@ima_menace21
