Joabe Barbosa has already run every street in Chicago. Now, he is exploring the city’s 77 community areas, highlighting the people, businesses and history that make each neighborhood unique.
After becoming the first person to run every street in Chicago, Barbosa is now exploring the city through a video series focused on its neighborhoods, their histories and the people who call them home. Barbosa posted on Sept. 7 a video in his series on Austin.
“If you ask people about their neighborhood, their home, their neighbors or where they’re from, people can speak for hours because they have so much experience. In Chicago, people are very proud of where they’re from or where they’ve lived. That’s something I think I’ve learned through this journey,” Barbosa said.
Barbosa is a Brazilian-born runner who was raised in England and moved to Chicago in 2022 to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology at Roosevelt University. In June 2026, he became the first person known to have run every street in all 77 Chicago neighborhoods, covering more than 5,000 miles over 680 days. He also holds a Guinness World Record for the fastest time visiting all 146 CTA stations.
Barbosa interviewed Charles Perry, a Westside Health Authority associate who has spent 17 years working in violence reduction and prevention, during his recent Austin neighborhood video.
“All the interactions I have in the videos are snippets of hour-long conversations I have with people. It’s about seeing that I have good intentions. Not, ‘Oh, I want to put a camera in your face,’ but actually being nice and showing that I have good intentions, which I think is the most important thing,” Barbosa said.
Karen Clapp, a docent with the Chicago Architecture Center and an Austin resident, was also interviewed for the video.
“She was super knowledgeable and super nice and it was a good experience because she’s a local as well. They’re all super nice and friendly, and easy to get to know,” Barbosa said.
Barbosa visited Forty Acres Fresh Market as well and highlighted the quality of the market and the humility of its owner, Liz Abunaw who works alongside her employees. It also showed how city grants and funding can help support community markets.
While running through the West Side, Barbosa met many people who left an impression on him. One summer, while running and extremely thirsty, he came across three men selling water on the side of the road in West Garfield Park, turning a difficult run into one of his favorite moments running in Chicago.
“There were these three guys selling water on the side of the road and I was so thirsty. I ran past them, and they were like, ‘Oh, do you want some water?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, sorry, man, I don’t have any money,’ but they offered it to me for free,” Barbosa said. “That was my first time seeing someone be nice to the point of giving something away for free. I’ve always had great experiences in Austin, West Garfield Park and Humboldt Park. They’re always the nicest people,” Barbosa said.
Barbosa frequently highlights in his videos how some neighborhoods viewed as more dangerous are often where he has encountered the kindest and most welcoming people.
“When I’m in the West Side neighborhoods, there are always a lot of people supporting me. Whereas in other neighborhoods, near downtown or in other areas of Chicago, people just saw me as someone else. On the West Side, I was truly treated well,” Barbosa said.
Barbosa was at the Chicago Half Marathon that took place on the West Side of Chicago on June 7 and took on a different challenge by intentionally trying to finish last. He walked much of the race, ultimately finishing second to last, which allowed him to connect with runners at the back of the pack.
Looking ahead, Barbosa wants to find new ways to encourage people to explore Chicago beyond their own neighborhoods. He is in contact with the Chicago Architecture Center and Choose Chicago about creating a challenge that would motivate people to visit all 77 community areas and document their experiences along the way.
“You can give people a reason, like, ‘Oh, there’s this really cool market that you should check out called Forty Acres.’ So giving people reasons to go to different places around Chicago is something I’m learning to encourage people to do and something I’m doing for myself. That’s why I’m doing this neighborhood series, to go to different neighborhoods. That’s my reason to go to different areas of Chicago,” Barbosa said.