The parking lot at a Walgreens in Bridgeview transformed into a vibrant festival space. Hundreds gathered for food and music. The Palestine Youth Ensemble performed ‘Mawtini’, an unofficial anthem of Palestine. Palestinian flags fluttered in celebration. They were there to mark a new ‘Little Palestine Way’ honorary street sign, highlighting the contributions of Palestinian Americans in the southwest suburb.
Recently, Harlem Avenue has become a center for Palestinian businesses and traditions. Bridgeview has long been a cultural and economic hub for this community. Despite plans, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) failed to install the new brown street sign on schedule for the July 11 event. With over $13,000 already invested in the celebration, the event proceeded as planned.
“One thing about us is that we’re used to every obstacle coming at us, especially when it comes to Palestine and we don’t let that stop us,” said Jinan Chehade, an event organizer. “If anything, it motivates us and brings the community even closer together.”
Sabha Abour, a community organizer who played a key role in getting the sign, mentioned that IDOT informed her less than 48 hours before the event about the delay due to scheduling conflicts with lawmakers. An IDOT spokesperson confirmed this to the Tribune.
“IDOT never once told us that we had to coordinate with the legislators,” Abour said. “For them to tell us in the eleventh hour, that’s unheard of.”
In the absence of an official IDOT sign, the village of Bridgeview installed a temporary sign at the corner of 87th Street and South Harlem Avenue. A separate honorary sign was also installed in memory of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a young boy who died in 2023. It is uncertain how long the temporary sign will remain as Bridgeview officials have not provided comments.
The Chicago area has the highest concentration of Palestinian Americans in the U.S., with over 85,000 residents of Palestinian descent. This led to initiatives to recognize their contributions officially. In October 2025, state Rep. Lisa Davis introduced a resolution for designating a part of Harlem Avenue as ‘Little Palestine Way’. With bipartisan support, the nickname became official on June 1. Sen. Willie Preston supported this initiative.
Rep. Davis expressed confusion over the scheduling conflicts cited by IDOT as these are typically outside its responsibilities. Sen. Preston, who did not attend the July 11 event, expressed his eagerness to join future celebrations.
“I appreciate the Illinois Department of Transportation’s continued partnership and commitment to ensuring this historic milestone receives the celebration and recognition it deserves,” Preston said.
Jinan Chehade indicated no current plans for an official celebration of IDOT’s sign installation in Bridgeview. The timeline remains uncertain.
“We are not at the mercy of whoever is telling us when we can celebrate or who we celebrate or when we celebrate us,” Chehade stated. “We decide when we celebrate us and when our community can come together.”