CHICAGO — Erica Hungerford and Peter Charnley’s garage is not just any garage. For months, it’s been the repeat target of political vandalism that has damaged the couple’s Jefferson Park neighborhood home. But now, the defaced garage has newly embellished bright rainbow colors with a large mural reading, “Love Wins.” For them, their garage is now a symbol of their community’s creativity and support.
Since May, the homeowners say they have experienced five separate incidents of anti-LGBTQ harassment. In the latest incident, an unidentified individual spray-painted “MA” across their garage. Due to past vandalism with MAGA-related messaging, they believe the person intended to write “MAGA” but ran out of paint.
In response, about a dozen neighbors, friends and community members gathered Sunday to paint over discriminatory messages with colorful, LGBTQ pride-inspired artwork.
