‘There’s really nothing to do anymore.’ A teen perspective on Halloween in Oak Park 

Multiple Oak Park community members joined the village board meeting on Nov. 4 to give public comment on the “teen takeover” incidents that occurred on Halloween, including a teen who was there herself.   Juanta Griffin and her daughter Adeyemi Griffin were the first to speak, offering a different perspective on not just the events of Oct. 31, but driving forces behind the “chaos.”  “This past Halloween, it was disturbing to say the least,” Juanta said. “Someone lost their life. Someone was badly assaulted. Teens were in the streets. The police were everywhere, herding children down the streets.”  She said that teens are going to come to Oak Park, those who live here and those from neighboring communities, and “the bigger thing is not just to prepare for the war. I think at this time we should be prepared for the welcome.”  Adeyemi Griffin shared her experience as a teen amidst the chaos. She went to Lake Street with her friends to find something to do, and said they w