CHICAGO – The Illinois State Lottery Upgrade day party transformed what many consider a superstitious, Friday the 13th, into an electric and festive day at The Bottom Lounge. Riding on the theme of “What’s Your Upgrade?“ — urban sophisticates and young professionals flooded the two-story nightclub to offset the scorching August elements and to imbibe on Conjure Cognac and sample scrumptious cuisine.
The third and final Illinois Lottery rooftop day party attracted black businesspeople from across the mammoth metropolis to network as partygoers regaled rolling out of the experiences of being present and what their upgrade would be.
“My upgrade? I would make sure that my family was taken care of, and then I would look to what kind of nonprofit organization to make sure that legacy moves forward,” says Latiff Harris, a Chicago native who was visiting for the weekend from Phoenix. “I would make sure that I [had] a place here in Chicago and in Phoenix. [The] Cubs play there in [the] spring. There’s always a strong connection between Chicago and Arizona.”
Harris was then asked what he’d do if the winnings reached the hundreds of millions. “I would make sure that I would create some kind of foundation that would be focused on education, and especially uplifting black men in the inner city,” he said.
There’s no doubt that partygoers enjoyed themselves immensely and would definitely consider returning if the Illinois State Lottery has another “What’s Your Upgrade” day party in the future. “Absolutely. This is something I would definitely come to if it happened in the future. This is a fantastic place for young, black professionals to get together and network, and it’s just a great event,” said another reveler.
One thing’s for sure, the Illinois State Lottery shows urbanites how they can get their upgrade. –terry shropshire
