On Sunday, Brandon Johnson — mayor of Chicago — showed up at a grassroots, youth-driven event on Chicago’s South Side: the Chicago Quarter-Zip Link-Up, held at the Black-owned ice cream shop Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream in Bronzeville.
🍦 About Shawn Michelle’s & the Event
- Shawn Michelle’s — located at 46 E. 47th St. in Bronzeville — has long been a fixture on Chicago’s South Side. The shop has built a loyal following thanks to its homemade custard-style ice cream and community roots.
- The Quarter-Zip Link-Up gathered roughly 50–60 mostly young Black men, many in their teens or early 20s. Participants wore quarter-zip sweaters — a sartorial statement tied to a broader cultural movement among Gen Z men.
- The event included ice cream sampling (flavors like caramel cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake, lemon pound cake) and a later walk to a nearby coffee shop for matcha drinks.
What Mayor Johnson’s Presence Signifies
When Mayor Johnson arrived, also wearing a quarter-zip, he “dapped up” event co-organizer Justin Vincent — a greeting of solidarity and respect.
By showing up, the mayor helped spotlight an event that’s more than aesthetic: it’s rooted in community, identity, and support for local, Black-owned businesses. Organizers described the meet-up not simply as a fashion statement but as a way to uplift Black men, foster positivity, and build networks of brotherhood and support.
According to a recent citywide roundup of Johnson’s holiday-season and community engagements, this Link-Up was the launch of a broader series of events highlighting local business owners — signaling that the administration is aiming to visibly back grassroots community efforts.
Cultural and Community Context — More Than a Sweater
The quarter-zip trend, especially among Gen Z and younger Black men, has become part of a larger cultural moment. For participants, the sweaters are not about “looking good for others,” but about expressing pride, confidence, and a sense of dignity.
Critics argue that the trend is tied to “respectability politics” — a push to conform to mainstream, often white-fluenced ideas of “presentable” Blackness.
But defenders of the movement counter that the event is about community building, positive representation, and supporting Black-owned businesses — especially those like Shawn Michelle’s, which are rooted in local history.
In that light, Mayor Johnson’s attendance carried symbolic weight: a public official showing up for a youth-led, culturally meaningful event — not a formal gala or fundraiser, but a street-level, real-people gathering.
Reviewed by Black Chicago Leaders
on
December 09, 2025
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