U. of C. student documentary highlights university’s complicated relationship with Hyde Park community
It was the use of hand sanitizer, or lack of it, that sparked the creation of a 70-minute film, “The Heart of Hyde Park: Stories of Small Businesses.” So says second-year University of Chicago student Lisa Raj Singh.
She had walked into the Pan-African art and craft gallery Kilimanjaro International on 53rd Street in 2022 when owner Rose Kyoma Garrett, aka Mother Rose, pointed to the door, signaling to Singh to put on hand sanitizer before proceeding into the shop. A confused Singh eventually figured it out and lathered it on.
A week later, Singh was back in the store. But Mother Rose was occupied when a new customer walked in.
“How do I know that it’s a new customer? Because they didn’t put on the hand sanitizer,” she said. “For a split second, I thought, ‘Is it my place to say?’ Then I ask: ‘Please kindly put on the hand sanitizer.’ Mama Rose gives me the nod of approval. And with that,
