The late legendary performance artist and LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS activist Chilli Pepper was celebrated with an “Honorary Chilli Pepper Way” street sign by the City of Chicago on the sunny Fall morning of Oct. 3 (the day after Chilli’s birthday) at the corner of North State and East Cedar Streets in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood.
Chicago Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward), who represents the area where the street sign was unveiled, introduced a symbolic ordinance this past July 22 to permanently enshrine Chilli into Chicago’s cityscape.
Hopkins’ ordinance co-sponsors included Alds. Andre Vasquez (40th), Timmy Knudsen (43rd), Bennett Lawson (44th), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th) and Maria Hadden (49th), as well as former Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa before he took on his new role as Chicago Park District CEO and General Superintendent. Chicago’s City Council chose the Gold Coast location for Honorary Chilli Pepper Way because she lived at 1201 N. State St. for nearly 50 years.
The ordinance said, in part, “BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, do hereby celebrate the extraordinary life, legacy, and immense contributions of Chilli Pepper, and honor her as a Chicago institution whose impact transcends performance and advocacy.”
The Oct. 3 ceremony garnered an over-200 strong crowd of Chilli’s friends and supporters, some of whom came from outside Chicago to mark the occasion.
Speakers included Hopkins and longtime friends and Chicago-based hospitality professionals Alpana Singh and Cole Stolman.
After Hopkins paid a brief tribute to Chilli and what she meant to many Chiacgoans Singh, who also lives in the Gold Coast, thanked him for “moving mountains to make today happen [since there is a long waiting list for honorary streets in Chicago] and for recognizing everything Chilli gave to our community and this city … If Chilli were still with us, she would be devoted to you for life.”
Additionally, Singh spoke about the “edgy” Gold Coast Chilli moved into and called her the epitome of the Gold Coast which is full of characters like her, many with similar stories and history. Singh said Chilli noticed, remembered, celebrated and “most importantly” showed up for the people in her life. She joked about Chilli making phone calls on a landline, not a cell phone, to check in on her friends.
“I hope this sign becomes a reminder of something bigger than the name on it,” said Singh. “You don’t need a fortune to leave a legacy. You don’t need a title. You don’t need to live the life somebody else imagined for you. Chilli certainly didn’t. She refused to let anyone else define her. She created herself—a fantasy of her own creation—and then, with incredible generosity, invited all of us into it.”
Stolman said, “It’s probably safe to say today, Chilli is both literally and figuratively on cloud nine. If she were here in person, I think Chilli would be completely overwhelmed and as humbled as she could possibly be, not only by the prestigious accolade, but also the immense turnout on the part of her chosen family, friends and admirers, who have come to celebrate and cherish her memory. Along with today’s tribute, this is the truest testament to her legacy.”
Singh and Stolman unveiled the sign amidst cheers and applause from the crowd. Knudsen, Lawson and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Commissioner Marcelino Garcia were also in attendance.
