>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... GOOD EVENING TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" I'M ALEX HERNANDEZ.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.
ON THE SHOW TONIGHT... HOW TO SPOT SCAMS THAT ARE TARGETED HIGHLAND PARK LATINO RESIDENTS IN THE WAKE OF THE JULY 4TH MASS SHOOTING.
IT'S HOT OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE BUT AND FOR OUTDOOR WORKERS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW TO STAY SAFE WHEN WORKING IN THE HEAT.
THE CUBAN COMET, MINNIE MINOSO IS SAID TO BE INDUCTED INTO BASEBALL'S HALL OF FAME THIS WEEKEND.
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PROFESSOR TALKS ABOUT WHY HE BELIEVES THIS HONOR IS LONG OVERDUE.
>> WE'RE HERE TO HELP THEM IN THEIR LANGUAGE.
>> AND HOW SUBURBAN LIBRARIES ARE WELCOMING SPANISH SPEAKING LATINOS WITH OPEN ARMS AND OPEN BOOKS.
>> FIRST OFF TONIGHT, AS HIGHLAND PARK AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ARE WORKING TO HEAL AFTER THE MASS SHOOTING ON JULY 4TH SOME LATINO RESIDENTS ARE BEING TARGETED FOR SCAM CALLS.
RESIDENTS SAY THAT SCAMMERS ARE CALLING THEM PRETENDING TO BE THE MEXICAN CONSULATE OR OFFERING LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
JOINING US WITH MORE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ARE ESTEBAN CARBAJAL, SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY WITH THE NORTH SUBURBAN LEGAL AID CLINIC AND DIANA ALVEY CASE MANAGER AT THE HIGHWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
ESTEBAN CARBAJAL I WILL START WITH YOU, THE LEGAL AID CLINIC HAS BEEN ASSISTING RESIDENTS WITH THE SCAM CALLS.
WHAT ARE THE CALLERS AND SCAMMERS COMING TO HOMES IN PERSON OFFERING RESIDENTS?
>> YES.
SO PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING CALLS FROM INDIVIDUALS SAYING THAT THEY ARE FROM THE MEXICAN CONSULATE.
AND THEY ARE OFFERING HELP WITH APPLICATIONS FOR NEW VISAS, SOMETIMES SAYING THAT THEY COULD EXPEDITE THE CASE.
SAME THING FOR THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO PEOPLE'S ACTUAL HOUSES AND KNOCKING ON THEIR DOORS.
OFFERING TO HELP WITH NEW VISA APPLICATIONS AND OFFERING TO HAVE THEM EXPEDITED.
>> IN REALITY WHAT IS THE WAIT LIST LIKE FOR APEOPLE APPLYING FOR NEW VISAS?
>> RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT A SIX-YEAR WAIT FOR ADJUDICATION OF THE APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT MAYBE A COUPLE MORE YEARS TO ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE VISA JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A HUGE BACKLOG ON BOTH SIDES THE STATUTORY LIMITATION AND HOW MANY VISAS CAN BE ISSUED PER YEAR.
>> DIANA ALVEY FROM GATHERING RESOURCES HOW TO ADDRESS THE CALLS WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED HOW COMMON IT IS FOR THESE TO POP-UP AFTER A TRAGEDY?
>> WELL, FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD FROM THE F.B.I.
AND THE RED CROSS, THEY INDICATED TO US THAT UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS A SAD FACT OF WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THESE TRAGEDIES IS THERE'S ALL KINDS OF SCAMMERS THAT COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK AND TRY TO MAKE CONVINCE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GIVE OUT PERSONAL INFORMATION, TO PAY MONEY TO GET THE ATTORNEY SAID TO GET EXPEDITED VISAS.
OR "GOFUNDME" PAGES THAT IS IN AN ISSUE THAT THEY ARE BEING APPROACHED ON FACEBOOK.
SO UNFORTUNATELY IT IS A SAD FACT THAT IT DOES HAPPEN MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.
>> RIGHT.
ESTEBAN CARBAJAL, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL IMPACT OF GOING THROUGH THE TRAUMA FIRST OF THE SHOOTING AND THEN TRYING TO GET SCAMMED BY THE CALLS?
>> IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE STILL PROCESSING WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.
STILL TRYING TO HEAL AND GET BACK TO NORMALCY.
IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT.
A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN CARRYING ANXIETY FOR BEING UNDOCUMENTED AND NOW SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST COMING -- JUST FINDING OUT ABOUT NEW VISAS AND FINDING OUT THE REQUIREMENTS AND THEN WITH FITS -- BENEFITS AND THEN TO HAVE THE RUG PULLED UNDER THEM WHEN MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM RELIEVED IN A FEW MONTHS WHICH IS WHAT SOME OF THE SCAMMERS ARE SAYING IT'S DISHEARTENING.
>> THAT IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO TO KNOW AND IDENTIFY THIS TYPE OF SCAN.
HOW CAN SOMEONE IDENTIFY THEY ARE GETTING A CALL FROM SOMEONE ATTEMPTING TO SCAM THEM?
>> WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE IS THAT THEY GET THEIR INFORMATION FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE.
A TRUSTED SOURCE IN THIS AREA IS THE HIGHWOOD LIBRARY.
WE HAVE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS TRYING TO BUILD THAT REPUTATION HERE AND TO HAVE PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE TRUSTED COMMUNITY MESSENGERS THAT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ARE INTERACTING IN THE SAME SPACES AND ARE TRUSTED WITH INFORMATION.
WE STARTED THAT WITH THE VACCINATIONS AND WE'RE CONTINUING THAT WITH THIS JULY 4TH EVENT.
AND WE ARE ENCOURAGING THEM IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, IF YOU ARE APPROACHED WHETHER IT'S ON FACEBOOK, TEXT MESSAGING OR SOMEBODY IS CALLING YOU, VERIFY ALWAYS VERIFY.
CALL ASK SOMEBODY THAT YOU TRUST, COME TO THE LIBRARY AND ASK US WE CAN DIG FOR THE INFORMATION FOR YOU AND FIND OUT WHAT THE TRUTH IS BEHIND WHAT THAT CALL IS.
>> OK. AND YOU JUST ANSWERED MY FOLLOWING QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO IF THEY RECEIVED THE CALLS.
WHAT RESOURCES IS THE LEGAL AID OFFERING IF SOMEONE ACTUALLY WANTS TO APPLY FOR A NEW VISA?
>> WELL, WE THE AFTERMATH OF THE TRAGEDY OF JULY 4TH, WE STARTED REACHING OUT TO PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY LIKE THE HIGHWOOD LIBRARY, THEY OFFERED TO HAVE TABLES WHERE WE CAN SPEAK TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE JULY 4TH PARADE.
WE PROVIDED PRELIMINARY CONSULTATIONS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO REACH BACK OUT TO THE INDIVIDUALS WE HAVE ALREADY CONNECTED WITH TO DO A FULL LEGAL REVIEW TO SEE NOT ONLY IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A NEW VISA AND OTHER FORMS OF RELIEF.
WE ARE SOON GOING TO START PROVIDING PRESENTATIONS AS WELL.
AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS [INAUDIBLE] >> INFORMATION IS KEY IN THAT REGARD.
BILINGUAL RESOURCE CENTER OPENED UP FOR RESIDENTS.
WHAT IS OFFER THERE HAD?
>> WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS MIMIC WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO BUT RATHER THAN HAVING ALL THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE THERE, WE HAVE BILINGUAL CASE MANAGERS THAT ONCE YOU MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT YOU'RE WELCOMED.
YOU ARE ABLE TO APPROACH ONE OF THE MANAGERS AT THE TABLE AND WORK THROUGH WHAT YOUR PRIORITY OF NEEDS IS.
SO WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
AND WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED RIGHT NOW TO HELP YOU THROUGH TODAY.
IS IT COUNSELING RIGHT NOW?
CRISIS COUNSELING?
OR IS IT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE?
LET'S HOOK YOU UP WITH RESOURCES WE HAVE WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES.
OR IS IT JUST SOMEBODY TO TALK TO?
AND FOR SOME PEOPLE IT'S BEEN THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE LEFT THEIR HOMES AND ONLY HAVE DONE SO TO ACCESS SOME OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM.
>> WELL, I THANK BOTH OF YOU.
THAT WILL BE OUR TIME.
THANK YOU ESTEBAN CARBAJAL AND DIANA ALVEY.
THANK YOU BOTH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> COMING UP, STAYING SAFE WHILE WORKING OUTSIDE DURING A HEATWAVE.
>> AS WE HEAD TOWARDS SUMMER'S PEAK AND TEMPERATURES REACH ABOVE 90s, PEOPLE WHO WORK OUTDOORS ARE INCREASINGLY AT RISK OF OVERHEATING AND NOT ONLY FARM WORKERS AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, THIS WEEK IN ARIZONA A U.P.S.
DRIVER WAS CAUGHT ON A SECURITY CAMERA COLLAPSING FROM THE EFFECTS OF HEAT ILLNESS AFTER SPENDING HOURS IN HIS HOT VAN.
JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE NIK THEODORE PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF URBAN PLANNING AND POLICY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO.
MAGGIE RIVERA, PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.
OF THE ILLINOIS MIGRANT COUNCIL.
AND BOGDAN CATALIN SUPERVISOR IN THE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS UNIT OF THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION CHICAGO OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
AND I WILL START WITH YOU MAGGIE GO, HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM FOR HEAT STRESS WORKERS FOR FARM WORKERS IN ILLINOIS?
>> IT'S A PROBLEM FOR THE FARM WORKERS WORKING ON THE FARMS WHEN THE TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE 100.
PARTICULARLY HERE IN THE MIDWEST, YOU ADD THE MOISTURE INTO IT SO IT BECOMES VERY UNBEARABLE.
SO IT IS A HEALTH PROBLEM FOR OUR FARM WORKERS.
>> WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HEAT STRESS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR IN THEMSELVES AND OTHERS?
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HEAT AFFECTS ALL OF US REGARDLESS OF AGE WHETHER WE WORK INDOORS OR OUTDOORS.
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS CAN BE MILD AND REVERSIBLE AND SOME CAN BE SEVERE.
FATALLY EVEN.
THEY CAN RANGE FROM HEAT RASH RED DOTS ON YOUR ARM, TO FAINTING, TO FATIGUE, DIZZINESS AND VOMITING TO HEAT STROKE WHICH IS FATAL.
AND BEGINS WITH CONFUSION, SLURRED SPEECH, SEIZURES AND VERY HIGH BODY TEMPERATURE.
>> NIK THEODORE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE JOB CATEGORIES ARE AT RISK FOR HEAT STRESS?
AND WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE TYPICALLY WORK IN THESE PROFESSIONS?
>> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OCCUPATIONS INDOORS AND OUTDOORS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO HEAT STRESS AND HEAT RELATED ILLNESS.
INDOOR LIKE FACTORY WORKERS AND WAREHOUSES, BAKERIES AND LAUNDRIES.
OUTDOOR WORK LIKE AGRICULTURAL WORK, CONSTRUCTION WORK, LANDSCAPING ALL OF THESE POTENTIALLY ENCOUNTER HIGH TEMPERATURES AND PUT WORKERS AT RISK.
>> AND SPEAKING NOW, ABOUT EMPLOYERS WHAT ARE THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THE WORKERS WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT IN THE HEAT?
>> SURE.
EMPLOYERS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE A HEALTHY AND SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT REGARDLESS OF THE WORKPLACE EXPOSURES.
OSHA'S MESSAGE IS SIMPLE:  WATER, REST, SHADE.
EMPLOYERS SHOULD ENCOURAGE WORKERS TO DRINK WATER FREQUENTLY.
TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS IN SHADE OR AIR-CONDITIONED BREAK ROOMS.
HAVE AN EMERGENCY PLAN READY TO RESPOND WHEN A WORKER SHOWS SIGNS OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS.
ALLOW THEM TO BUILD TOLERANCE FOR WORKING IN HEAT ESPECIALLY NEW EMPLOYEES OR THOSE RETURNING FROM BREAKS.
AND CERTAINLY KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH THE WEATHER FORECAST TO ADJUST WHEN POSSIBLE THE INTENDED WORK SCHEDULE.
SUCH AS STARTING EARLIER IN THE DAY WHEN IT'S COOLER.
AND NOT TO FORGET TRAINING TRAINING WORKERS ON THE HAZARD OF HEAT EXPOSURE AND HOW TO PREVENT SUCH ILLNESSES.
>> WE SPOKE WITH LETICIA MARTINEZ WITH THE ILLINOIS MIGRANT COUNCIL WHO CONDUCTS HEAT SAFETY TRAINING FOR WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS.
MOST EMPLOYERS SHE DEALS WITH WANT TO INSURE SAFETY FOR THE WORKERS, THE WORKERS DON'T ALWAYS FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING THEY NEED TO TAKE A BREAK.
LET'S LISTEN.
>> ESPECIALLY FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE NEW AND IT'S THEIR FIRST YEAR DOING THE FIELD OR THE WORK OR THE FARM LABOR, SO WHEN IT'S THEIR FIRST YEAR THEY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH EVERYTHING.
AND THEY THINK THAT IF THEY SPEAK OUT THEY MIGHT LOSE THEIR JOB OR MIGHT GET IN TROUBLE.
THEY WILL NOT.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY BELIEVE SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE OUT THERE THAT KNOWS THE SIGNS AND CAN HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN RELATE TO THE EMPLOYER BECAUSE OF LANGUAGE BARRIERS.
>> MAGGIE WHAT IS THE IMC DOING TO HELP WORKERS FEEL COMFORTABLE ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES?
>> WELL, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, LITERALLY SINCE OUR EXISTENCE WE HAVE BEEN GOING OUT TO THE CAMPS WHERE WE ACTUALLY BRING OUR TEAM MEMBERS LIKE LETICIA MARTINEZ AND WE HAVE THEY ARE TRAINED BY A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION CALLED AFAP AND WE HAVE SEVERAL TEAM MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT WE ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH THE GROWERS AND WE GO OUT TO THE FIELDS.
AND BRING THIS EDUCATION TO THE WORKERS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT LANGUAGES BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY ARE INFORMED BUT THEY RECEIVE THE DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER FOR THEM TO KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE FROM THE HEAT.
AND WE ARE THERE FOR THEM TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SO IF THERE IS SOMEONE THAT HAPPENS TO FALL ILL FROM HEAT STRESS WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THAT INFORMATION AND GET THEM CONNECTED TO THE APPROPRIATE EMERGENCY SERVICES THEY MIGHT NEED.
>> GOING BACK WITH YOU N. >> I >> YOU'VE STUDIED HEAT STRESS ON WORKERS CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU FOUND AND ARE THERE SIMILAR PATTERNS HERE?
>> I THINK WHAT WE'RE FINDING A NUMBER OF OUR STUDIES IS THAT WORKERS IN A RANGE OF INDUSTRIES ARE FEELING A LOT OF PRESSURE TO KEEP ON WORKING REGARDLESS OF CONDITIONS.
THE DELIVERY DRIVER, THAT IS BEING MONITORED CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT ENOUGH ROUTES ARE BEING RUN ON THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER THAT IS FEELING THE PRESSURE TO COMPLETE A JOB.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHICAGO AREA, WE HAD AN EARLY JUNE HEAT EPISODE WHERE THE HEAT INDICES IN CHICAGO WERE ABOVE 105 AND IN THE OUTLYING AREAS CLOSER TO 110, 115.
FOR THOSE WORKERS WORKING ON ROOFTOPS OR POURING FOUNDATIONS OR DOING CEMENT WORK THE TEMPERATURE THEY ARE FACING COULD BE 10-15° HOTTER.
THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE TO GET THE WORK DONE AND TOO OFTEN WORKERS ARE NOT GETTING THE BREAKS, THE WATER AND THE BASIC PROTECTIONS THAT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM GETTING HEAT RELATED ILLNESS.
>> MAGGIE IF A WORKER BELIEVES THEY ARE WORKING IN UNSAFE CONDITIONS, WHAT CAN THEY DO?
>> THEY CAN CONTACT US AND PROVIDE US WITH THE INFORMATION OR LET US KNOW CONFIDENTIALLY WHAT IS GOING ON.
WE HAVE OVER THE YEARS BEEN ABLE TO BUILD A VERY CLOSE RAPPORT WITH A LOT OF THE FARM WORKERS SO THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE IN KNOWING THAT IF THEY CALL US THEY ARE NOT ONLY GOING TO GET THE HELP BUT THEY ARE GOING TO GET THEIR ISSUES RESOLVED WITHOUT ANY KIND OF BACK SLASH AGAINST THEM.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE.
BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU BOTH ABOUT THE OSHA THAT PUT A NEW PROGRAM INTO PLACE THIS YEAR.
THE NATIONAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM ON HEAT.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND WHAT ITS GOALS ARE?
30 SECONDS.
>> CERTAINLY.
IT'S IN EFFECT SINCE APRIL OF THIS YEAR.
AND IT CONTAINS BOTH ENFORCEMENT AND OUTREACH AND COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE ELEMENTS AND IT ESTABLISHES HEAT PRIORITIES DAYS WHEN THE HEAT INDEX IS ABOVE 80° FAHRENHEIT THAT IS WHEN OUR COMPLIANCE OFFICERS WILL GO OUT AND ENGAGE IN OUTREACH OR TECHNICAL COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE WITH EMPLOYERS.
>> WELL, I THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
NIK THEODORE, MAGGIE RIVERA AND BOGDAN CATALIN THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION.
>> THOUGH HE HAS LONG BEEN A HALL OF FAMER IN THE HEARTS OF WHITE SOX FANS THIS WEEKEND, Mr. WHITE SOX, MINNIE MINOSO WILL OFFICIALLY RECEIVE BASKETBALL'S HIGHEST ON NOR.
HE KID IN 2015 WAS BELOVED ON THE SOUTH SIDE FOR HIS WARM SPIRIT AND AS MUCH AS HIS EXTRAORDINARY ON FIELD PERFORMANCE.
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR, SAYS THOUGH THE HONOR COMES TOO LATE FOR MINNIE MINOSO TO ENJOY IN PERSON IT WILL BE A DAY FOR CELEBRATION FOR ALL WHO LOVE HIM.
>> WE HAVE WAITED SO LONG FOR THIS DAY TO SEE MINNIE MINOSO INDUCTED INTO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME IN COOPERSTOWN FOR US THOSE WHO ADVOCATED FOR HIM WHO UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE, THE EXCELLENCE OF HIS CAREER AS I PIONEERING BLACK LATINO IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HISTORY IT IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF BOTH HIS EXCELLENCE ON THE FIELD AND THE SOCIAL CONTEXT IN WHICH HE PERFORMED.
HE HAD TO FACE RACISM AND AS ORLANDO SAID HE WAS OUR JACKIE ROBINSON.
AS A BLACK LATINO HE HAD TO DEAL FOR BEING BLACK AND LATINO.
AND A FOREIGNER IN THE UNITED STATES.
TO ME AS A HISTORIAN IT MAKES ME APPRECIATE ALL THE MORE THE BASEBALL STATISTICS THAT MINNIE MINOSO COMPILED AS A CAREER .300 HITTER AS A LEADING BASE STEALER, A GUY HE WAS THROWN OUT AND KNOCKED DOWN.
HE WAS AN EXEMPLAR OF RESILIENCY OF GOOD SPIRITEDNESS OF LEADERSHIP.
OF EXCELLENCE.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE BITTERSWEET BECAUSE JUST LIKE IN THE CASE OF BUCK O'NEAL, THAT MINNIE DESERVED TO BE TO EXPERIENCE THIS WITH HIS FAMILY AND FANS, AND HIS LOVED ONES THOSE WHO SUPPORTED HIM FOR SO LONG.
IT'S GOING TO BE JOYFUL BECAUSE THIS WAS REICHERT SAYING HE IS WITH THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX MINNIE HAD FOREVER BASEBALL HOME.
>> MINNIE MINOSO'S FAMILY SAYS 80-90 PEOPLE WILL BE AT THE CEREMONY TO CELEBRATE AND TO HEAR HIS WIFE GIVE AN INDUCTION SPEECH.
UP NEXT, HOW SUBURBAN LIBRARIES ARE WELCOMING SPANISH SPEAKING LATINOS.
STAY WITH US.
>> BETWEEN 2000-DO 016, SIX OF CHICAGO'S SUBURBS FLIPPED FROM WHITE SUBURBS TO MAJORITY LATINO THAT IS A REFLECTION OF A BROADER TREND OF IMMIGRANTSBY PASTING THE PORT OF ENTRY NEIGHBORHOODS AND SETTLING IN THE SUBURBS.
AS THE DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE EYE INVOLVED THE INSTITUTIONS HAVE HAD TO FIND NEW WAYS TO SERVE AND ENGAGE THE RESIDENTS.
ERICA GUNDERSON CHECKED OUT TWO SUBURBAN LIBRARIES TO SEE HOW THEY ARE GOING BEYOND JUST BOOKS.
>> WHEN WE HAVE NEW FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME I WANT THEM TO KNOW THIS IS THEIR LIBRARY THIS IS THEIR SPACE.
>> LIKE ALL SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS HAD TO EVOLVE WITH THE TIMES.
>> PEOPLE COME HERE FOR PASSPORT SERVICES.
PEOPLE COME TO GET THEIR BLOOD SUGAR SCREENINGS.
PEOPLE CHECK OUT OUR ITEMS THAT INCLUDE SEWING MACHINES 0 OR TELESCOPES.
>> AS LATINOS ESPECIALLY IMMIGRANT LATINOS HAVE SETTLED IN CHICAGO'S SUBURBS OVER THE YEARS.
SUBURBAN LIBRARIES HAVE DEVELOPED WAYS TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CHANGES COMMUNITIES.
>> WE ARE HERE TO HELP THEM IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND WE CAN CELEBRATE THEIR CULTURAL BACKGROUND AS WELL.
>> AT THE ROUND LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY A BOOK CLUB OFFERS READERS TO DISCUSS LITERATURE IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.
A LOT WHAT THEY HAVE TOLD ME THEY FEEL LIKE THIS IS A SPACE AND TIME WHERE THEY CAN DEDICATE TO THEMSELVES.
WE TALK ABOUT THE BOOK AND DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEWS OF EVERYBODY WITHIN THE BOOK AND THEIR LIVES.
BECAUSE WE FIND SOMETHING TO RELATE TO.
>>  >> ROUND LAKE LIBRARY HEAD OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SANDRA LOPEZ SAYS DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PATRONS TURNED TO THE LIBRARY FOR PROBLEMS.
>> FOR EXAMPLE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAME VIRTUAL A LOT OF FAMILIES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID NOT HAVE COMPUTERS OR DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO USE COMPUTERS.
AND THEY HAD A LANGUAGE BARRIER.
SO WE HAD OUR PARTNER OVER AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REACH OUT TO US SAY, HEY CAN YOU HELP?
AND WE DEVELOPED COMPUTER CLASSES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE TO PARENTS IN NEED.
>> IN WEST SUBURBAN NORTHLAKE, BILINGUAL LIBRARIAN SAYS THE STAFF DEVELOPS ITS PROGRAMMING BASED ON INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
>> THAT MEANS THAT THEY ARE TRUSTING US MORE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY ASK FOR.
AND THEY DO NEED SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE PROVIDE IT OR NOT, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN COME IN AND ASK FOR IT.
>> NORTHLAKE YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARIAN JACKIE SAYS SHE DRAWS UPON HER OWN UPBRINGING WHEN SELECTING RESOURCES FOR THE CHILDREN WHO COME TO HER LIBRARY.
>> THE OTHER DAY I HAD BOOKS ABOUT LIKE A [INAUDIBLE] MEXICAN COMMUNITY GREW UP LISTENING TO WHICH ARE IN STORY TIMES.
>> NORTHLAKE PATRONS BOTH SAY THEY BEGAN COMING TO THE NORTHLAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY TO FIND ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND NOW THEY KEEP COMING BACK FOR THEMSELVES.
>> I WAS BORN IN MEXICO AND CAME HERE AND RECENTLY I TOOK MY CITIZENSHIP TEST.
AND THE FACT THAT THEY OFFER THAT PROGRAM SO YOU CAN STUDY FOR THE TEST IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS.
>> THEY BOTH SAY THEY OFTEN RECOMMEND THE NORTHLAKE LIBRARY TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHICH LIBRARIANS SAY IS KEY TO BUILDING TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> A LOT OF THE TIME WE FEEL THAT PATRON ALSO COME IN BECAUSE THEY'VE TALKED TO A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND.
>> IT MAKES ME FEEL GREAT THAT THERE IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE AND PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO HELP YOU OUT WHEN YOU KNOW YOU NEED THE HELP.
AND A LIBRARY IS THE PLACE WHERE I NEVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED.
>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" THIS IS ERICA GUNDERSON.
>> YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOUT THE LIBRARY'S FUTURE ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND THAT WILL BE OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.COM/NEWS FOR THE LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS.
AND IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT, KNOW THAT YOU CAN CATCH LATINO VOICES AND BLACK VOICES SUNDAYS BEGINNING AT 10:00 P.M. AND ALSO TUNE INTO UNIVISION CHICAGO EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU.
WE LEAVE YOU TONIGHT WITH CHICAGO'S NEWEST LANDMARK THE TWO, 60-FOOT HIGH PUERTO RICAN FLAGS LOCATED IN HUMBOLDT PARK.
FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" I'M ALEX HERNANDEZ.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.
BUENOS NOCHES.
[♪♪♪]