>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... [♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" I'M JOANNA HERNANDEZ.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT... A SHORTFALL OF 120,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOW NEIGHBORS ARE LOOKING TO FIX IT.

YOU PROBABLY HEARD OF FOOD DESERTS BUT WHAT IMPACT ARE PHARMACY DESERTS HAVING ON THE HEALTH OF CHICAGOANS ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES?

>> WE'RE HERE TO HELP THEM IN THEIR LANGUAGE.

>> HOW SUBURBAN LIBRARIES ARE WELCOMING SPANISH SPEAKING LATINOS WITH OPEN ARMS AND OPEN BOOKS.

>> AND THE LANDSCAPING PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO ARE THE FOCUS OF AN ART SHOW MAKES A RARE VISIT TO CHICAGO FROM THE ISLAND.

>> THE CITY HAS A SHORTFALL OF 120,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND IT IS A BIGGER PROBLEM IN RAPIDLY GENTRIFYING NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE LOGAN SQUARE AND PILSEN WHERE LUXURY REDEVELOPMENTS ARE PRICING LONG TIME RESIDENTS OUT OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.

DESPITE THAT THE LUCY GONZALES APARTMENTS OPENED NEAR THE LOGAN SQUARE BLUE LINE STATIONS.

FURTHER SOUTH THE PILSEN HOUSING COOPERATIVE HAS BECOME A BLUE PRINT FOR COMMUNITY LED COMMUNITY HOUSING.

THE PILSEN HOUSING COOPERATIVE IN THE LOGAN SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN CHICAGO AND BEGAN BY ASKING ABOUT THE PLANNING EFFORTS FOR THE PARSON'S PROJECT.

>> WELL, IT TAKES AN UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO GET AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT BUILT AND THAT IS USUALLY BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY LAYERS OF FINANCING WE NEED TO ASSEMBLE TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE.

AND SO I THINK IT IS 100 UNITS MAKE SENSE ON THE LOGAN SQUARE BLUE LINE STATION BECAUSE IT IS A TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND THAT IS A PLACE THAT SUPPORTS HEIGHT AND DENSITY AND IT'S RIGHT ON KENZIE AVENUE ALONG THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.

AND JUST OFF OF MILWAUKEE AVENUE.

AND IT IS A PRETTY LIVELY AREA.

SO 100 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SITE.

AND MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

>> CHRISTIAN WE KNOW THAT IT WAS PART OF THE EFFORT TO GET PARSON'S APARTMENTS BUILT.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE LOGAN SQUARE?

SHE TOUCHED ON IT IS A LIVELY AREA WHAT THERE ANYTHING THAT MADE YOU PHILO COST HOUSING AS NEEDED?

>> LOGAN SQUARE WAS SUFFERING FOR A LONGTIME THROUGH THE IMPACTS OF DISPLACEMENT AND IT'S BEEN EGG ASKER BAITED BY THE HEALTH CRISIS WITH COVID-19.

AND DESPITE THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN OF COVID-19, RENTS HAVE ONLY GONE UP.

AND MORE COMPETITION FOR HOUSING IS HAPPENING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES PARTICULARLY FAMILIES WHO HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOLS, WHEN THEIR RENTS ARE RAISES OVERNIGHT BY $500 TO $600 AND WHEN THEY LOOK FOR NEW APARTMENTS TO MOVE INTO, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANYTHING BELOW $1500, $1600 AND THOSE UNITS THAT WE DO FIND ARE OFTEN ONE BEDROOMS OR STUDIOS THAT CAN'T FIT THE AVERAGE LATINX FAMILY.

SO WHAT IS REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THE PARSON'S APARTMENTS WHICH WE JUST CELEBRATED THE RIBBON CUTTING WITH JOY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, IS THAT THESE ARE FAMILY SIZED UNITS.

NOT ONLY ARE THEY AFFORDABLE BUT THEY CAN FIT THE AVERAGE LATINX FAMILY.

AND THIS IS A MONUMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY INTO A NEW DIRECTION THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS TAKING.

SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

WE'RE SO HAPPY THAT THEY ARE THE DEVELOPER AND WE HOPE WE CAN SEE MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE.

>> I CAN SEE THE PRIDE ON YOUR FACE.

AMANDA, FIRST, THE PILSEN HOUSING COOPERATIVE IS THE SUBJECT OF ONE OF WTTW'S FIRSTHAND SERIES ON SEGREGATION.

I WANT TO PLAY A SHORT CLIP FOR YOU.

>> WE HEARD THAT IN SPANISH AND WE SAW SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH.

AMANDA CAN YOU TELL ME HOW DID THIS PROJECT COME TO BE?

WHEN AND WHY DID YOU BECOME A MEMBER?

>> WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON PICO SINCE 2016 AS RESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

FOLKS WHO LIVED NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

AND I THINK WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR AN ACTION BASED PERSONAL WAY THAT WE COULD BASICALLY SAY NO TO THE DISPLACEMENT THAT WAS HAS BEEN HAPPENING AND HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR A LONGTIME.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S JUST A PERSONAL AND SORT OF POLITICAL AND ACTION-BASED MODEL THAT HAS REALLY, REALLY WORKED.

YOU HEARD HER TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR HER TO STAY IN HER COMMUNITY.

WE'VE BUILT UP SO MANY RESOURCES OVER MANY DECADES IN PILSEN.

AND A LOT OF THAT WORK, I FEEL WHEN FOLKS GET DISPLACED IT GOES AWAY.

THAT WAS OUR MOTIVATION FOR FORMING THE PILSEN HOUSING COOPERATIVE.

>> JOY I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE BARRIERS FACING LOW INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE BIGGEST RESISTANCE IS THAT YOU FACE?

>> FIRST OF ALL, JUST GETTING TALKING TO NEIGHBORS, GETTING THE NEIGHBORS ONBOARD.

ADDRESSING ANY RESISTANCE THAT COMES UP AND THERE'S TYPICALLY IN A GENTFYING AREA THERE IS RESISTANCE.

PEOPLE HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PEOPLE.

THEY DON'T REALIZE SOMETIMES IT'S THEM OR THEIR NEIGHBORS OR THE PEOPLE THEY SEE EVERYDAY.

THEY ARE NOT UNKNOWN PEOPLE.

AND SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE SO MANY CHALLENGES.

BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK NONE THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE AND NONE THAT PREVENT US FROM BUILDING THE KIND OF HOUSING THAT IS NEEDED.

>> AMANDA, CHRISTIAN WE HAVE JUST OVER A MINUTE HERE.

I WANT TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO GETTING A CO-OP OFF THE GROUND?

>> DEFINITELY THE DOMINANT MODEL OF HOUSING AND THE HOUSING MARKET IS ONE THAT EMPHASIZES LAND USE AS AN INVESTMENT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE USED TO GENERATE WEALTH.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO CHANGE THE DOMINANT NARRATIVE TO ONE WHERE WE SEE LAND AS A BENEFIT FOR PEOPLE WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO HOUSE US AND TO PROVIDE STABILITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> I WOULD COMPLETELY AGREE WITH CHRISTIAN THAT AN OLD VIEW ON LAND AND WHAT LAND OWNERSHIP IS FOR IS DEFINITELY WHAT IS CALLED FOR IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE DEFINITELY DOING AT THE PILSEN HOUSING CO-OP.

>> AGAIN THAT WAS MARISSA PERRERA SPEAKING ABOUT A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY.

UP NEXT, AMANDA VINICKY AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT PHARMACY DESERTS IN A CONVERSATION RECORDED EARLIER.

STAY WITH US.

[♪♪♪] YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD ABOUT FOOD DESERTS WHERE ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD MIGHT NOT BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE BUT POCKETS OF CHICAGO PARTICULARLY ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES ALSO LACK CONVENIENT ACCESS TO A LOCAL PHARMACY.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT IT ARE CHEYANNE DANIELS A REPORTER WITH THE HILL AND A CONTRIBUTOR WITH THE "CHICAGO SUN-TIMES".

DANIELS PUBLISHED A REPORT ON PHARMACY DESERTS AND THE RESEARCHER CREDITED WITH COINING THE TERM PHARMACY DESERT, DIMA QATO, DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL PUBLIC HEALTH PREVIOUSLY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO.

THANKS TO YOU.

AND DIMA QATO LET'S BEGIN WITH YOU.

YOU COINED THE TERM PHARMACY DESERT.

WE KNOW THAT MEDICINES, PRESCRIPTIONS CAN BE LIFE-SAVING.

WHY ARE PHARMACY DESERTS SO PROBLEMATIC?

>> PHARMACIES ARE VITAL TO COMMUNITIES.

THEY PROVIDE MEDICINES AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES INCLUDING VACCINATIONS.

AND THEY ARE CRITICAL ROLE IN PROMOTING PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY IT BECAME CLEAR SINCE THE START OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

>> ANY PARTICULAR WAYS THAT YOU THINK THIS WAS AMPLIFIED DURING COVID?

>> IN THE BEGINNING PHARMACIES WERE KEY IN TESTING COVID TESTING.

AND LATER ON FOR COVID VACCINATIONS.

MORE THAN 75% OF PEOPLE THAT GOT THEIR COVID VACCINE GOT IT AT A RETAIL PHARMACY.

AND IT BECAME PROBLEMATIC WHEN COMMUNITIES HAD A HARD TIME FINDING PHARMACIES LET ALONE PHARMACIES THAT OFFERED THE VACCINE.

AND IN CHICAGO THE COMMUNITIES WERE ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES AND FOR ME THAT WAS NOT SURPRISING GIVEN THAT WE KNEW THAT THESE COMMUNITIES ARE PHARMACY DESERTS.

>> AND CHEYANNE DANIELS, YOU AS WELL AS WBEZ'S REPORTERS DID DRILL DOWN MORE INTO WHERE THERE ARE PHARMACY DESERTS WITHIN CHICAGO.

CAN YOU SUMMARIZE THOSE FINDINGS?

>> YEAH, I THINK WHAT WE SAW WAS ESPECIALLY BASED ON PROFESSOR'S RESEARCH MOST OF THE DESERTS ARE ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES.

WHEN WE LOOK AT WHERE ROSELAND, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT HAVE SEEN LOCALLY OWNED PHARMACIES CLOSE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE CIVIL UNREST IN 2020 WE SAW A FEW OF THOSE STORES CLOSE IN PART DUE TO LOOTING THAT THEY EXPERIENCED AND SO IT'S REALLY IN PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THE PHARMACIES CLOSED THE SERVICES THE RESIDENTS NEED.

>> THE BIG BOX BRAND NAMES WALGREENS AND CVS BUT A DWINDLING NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES.

DIMA, WHY IS THAT?

WHAT ROLE IN PARTICULAR DO BOTH INSURANCE COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT POLICIES PLAY?

>> SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CHAINS, YES, WALGREENS IS THE PREDOMINANT CHAIN IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO THAT HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED.

INDEPENDENTS, PLAY A IMPORTANT ROLE IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR INCLUDING IN THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES AND INCLUDING IN PHARMACY DESERTS.

THE NEAREST PHARMACY IS MORE LIKELY TO BE AN INDEPENDENT THAN A CHAIN.

AND IN TERMS OF GOVERNMENT PLAYERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS MEDICAID.

THEY PLAY A HUGE ROLE THEM AND THE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS THAT THEY CONTRACT WITH.

AND I SAY THAT FOR TWO REASONS: ONE, PHARMACIES ARE NOT REIMBURSED ENOUGH ESPECIALLY PHARMACIES WE KNOW SERVE PUBLICLY INSURED POPULATIONS AND RELY ON MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES TO STAY OPEN.

AND TWO, MEDICAID IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING WHERE THEIR BENEFICIARIES CAN GO TO FILL THEIR MEDICATIONS.

AND OFTENTIMES THAT IS A CHAIN.

AND FOR SOME PLANS THAT CHAIN IS NOT WALGREENS.

THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE WBEZ STORY THAT CHEYANNE DANIELS COWROTE.

IT'S CVS AND WE KNOW CVS ISN'T REALLY CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.

THAT MEANS THERE ARE FEWER PATIENTS ENTERING THE INDEPENDENTS, THE NON-PREFERRED PHARMACIES AND THEREFORE FEWER PRESCRIPTIONS FILLED LESS MONEY FOR THE PHARMACY.

AND THEREFORE MAKING IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO STAY OPEN.

>> HARD FOR THEM TO SURVIVE WITHOUT CUSTOMERS WHO CAN SHOP THERE.

AT THE SAME TIME, CHEYANNE DANIELS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GOVERNMENT POLICY TO CHANGE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND ILLINOIS IS GIVING PHARMACISTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE TO GIVE VACCINES AND ALSO A NEW LAW WILL ALLOW PHARMACISTS TO DESCRIBE CONTRACEPTION BIRTH CONTROL WITHOUT A DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION.

BUT THEY CAN'T DO THAT IF THERE IS NOT PHARMACY TO GO TO, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE REAL FALLOUTS OF THAT WE SEE IT IMPACTS BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN AND WE KNOW THAT BLACK WOMEN WHEN IT COMES TO MORTALITY RATES AND INFANT MORTALITY RATES THEY HAVE THE WORST HEALTH OUTCOMES IF NOT THE WORST THAN ESPECIALLY THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.

HAVING ACCESS TO THINGS LIKE CONTRACEPTION CAN BE A LIFE-SAVING SERVICE THAT THEY CAN'T ACCESS WITHOUT HAVING THE PHARMACIES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

>> DIMA QATO, HOW THE CHICAGO STACK UP TO OTHER CITIES WHEN IT COMES TO PHARMACY DESERTS?

>> IT'S THE WORST IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO -- THE DISPARITY IS JUST KIND OF SHOCKING WITH 1% OF THE WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE PHARMACY DESERTS COMPARED TO 42% ALMOST A HALF OF BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS AND HISPANIC NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> BRIEFLY, WE, OF COURSE, SOME PEOPLE GET THEIR MEDICINE ON-LINE.

WHY IS THAT NOT AN OPTION OR DOES THAT CHANGE THINGS AT ALL?

>> VERY FEW PEOPLE GET ALL THEIR MEDICINES ON-LINE WE KNOW THAT.

AND IT'S REALLY NOT THE SOLUTION.

BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST PRESCRIPTIONS.

SO ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT PHARMACIES ARE PROVIDING OTHER SERVICES, SO IF THE PHARMACY IS THERE NOT ONLY THERE TO GIVE YOU A MEDICATION BUT THERE'S OTHER SERVICES THEY PROVIDE INCLUDING THE COVID VACCINE THAT WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

NATURAL EXPERIMENT ABOUT THEM AS THE PHARMACIES WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ARGUE IT FOR 10 YEARS.

COVID MADE IT EASY BECAUSE IT BECAME APPARENT TO THE PUBLIC IF YOU WANT TO PARTNER AND DELIVER ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY PHARMACY IS THE PLACE TO GO.

>> AND CHEYANNE DANIELS LAST WORD GOES TO YOU WHEN YOU WERE INTERVIEWING PEOPLE FROM YOUR ARTICLE WHAT WERE YOU HEARING FROM FOLKS?

>> THERE'S A LOT OF DESPAIR AND A LOT OF ANGER AND FRUSTRATION AND THE IDEAS THAT ESPECIALLY FROM MANY OF THE WOMEN I SPOKE TO AND LOCAL PHARMACY OWNERS THAT ARE SAYING IT'S POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE PHARMACIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS JUST NEED THE INVESTMENT FOR IT.

WE NEED THE COMMITMENT FROM CONGLOMERATES TO SAY WE BELIEVE THAT YOU DESERVE TO HAVE THE SERVICES IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING THAT BY PUTTING OUR PHARMACY IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

CHEYANNE DANIELS AND DIMA QATO.

>> BACK WITH MORE "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" RIGHT AFTER THIS... >> BETWEEN 20002016 SIX OF CHICAGO SUBURBS FLIPPED FROM A MAJORITY WHITE POPULATION TO A HISPANIC POPULATION.

AND SETTLING DIRECTLY IN THE SUBURBS.

AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE COMMUNITIES EVOLVED THEIR 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.

>> 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.

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 PATRONS WILL 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.

>> AND YOU WILL FIND MORE ABOUT THE LIBRARIES ON OUR WESTBOUND SITE.

BACK WITH MORE "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> EARLIER THIS MONTH, JUST WEEKS AFTER HURRICANE FIONA HIT PUERTO RICO, A VALUABLE COLLECTION OF PAINTINGS ARRIVED TO TO CHICAGO FROM THE ISLAND.

THEY ARE OWNED BY A MUSEUM ON THE SOUTHERN COAST.

AND NOW IT IS A TEMPORARY HOME TO A EXHIBIT.

MARC VITALI VISITED THE MUSEUM IN HUMBOLDT PARK.

>> THIS COLLECTION COMES FROM THE MUSEO DE ARTE DE PONCE, THE MUSEUM OF PONCE.

IT'S THE FIRST MUSEUM TO OPEN UP IN THE CARRIBBEAN AND THE FIRST ONE TO GET ACCREDITED BACK IN 1959.

>> MUCH OF THE MUSEUM REMAINS CLOSED FOLLOWING AN EARTHQUAKE IN 2020.

>> THE THING WAS THEY HAVE THIS COLLECTION THE BIGGEST COLLECTION IN THE CARRIBBEAN.

THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT.

THEY WANT TO STAY RELEVANT AND REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT PLACES SO THEY REACHED OUT TO US AND I SAID I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN ART COLLECTION AN ART EXHIBIT MADE UP OF PUERTO RICAN ARTISTS.

IT IS HISTORICAL ARTWORK DATING AS FAR BACK AS THE 1700'S.

INCLUDING PAINTINGS DURING THE COLONIAL ERA.

MOST FOCUS ON THE LANDSCAPE AND THE PEOPLE.

CALLED NOSTALGIA FROM MY ISLAND.

NOT ONLY WILL YOU FEEL NOSTALGIC BUT IT HAS YOU DREAMING AND THINKING OF DIFFERENT SORTS OF THINGS.

THE EXHIBIT DEALS WITH THREE ISSUES.

IT DEALS WITH MY PEOPLE, MY ISLAND, MY HOME.

THESE PIECES AS A WHOLE HAVE NEVER LEFT THE ISLAND.

THESE ARE PIECES THAT WE AS PUERTO RICANS WE'VE SEEN IN BOOKS.

WE MAY HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF THEM BUT WE HAVE NEVER REALLY SEEN THEM IN PERSON.

FOR US TO HAVE THIS COLLECTION HERE IS JUST A REMARKABLE THING.

[♪♪♪] THE MUSEUM IN HUMBOLDT PARK UPGRADED ITS GALLERIES TO SECURE AND PROTECT THESE RARE WORKS.

MOST OF WHICH WERE PAINTED IN OIL.

WE MET A VOLUNTEER WHO IS AN ARTIST AND HE GREW UP IN THE TOWN OF PONCE.

>> IT'S EMOTIONAL LIKE THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE THIS TYPE OF EXHIBITION IN CHICAGO AND THE U.S. AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE SUPER PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SEE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE MUSEUM IN PONCE, BE ABLE TO SEE THIS WORK HERE THEY WILL BE OVERWHELMED FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BUT IT WILL BE GREAT.

YOU SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVERY PIECE.

>> SOMETHING THAT DID NOT MAKE IT OUT OF PUERTO RICO BEFORE THE HURRICANE, MOST OF THE CATALOGS REMAIN ON THE ISLAND.

>> WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKEAWAY IS THERE IS A HISTORY BEHIND THE PUERTO RICAN PEOPLE.

WE ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS BUT YOU SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT WHO WE ARE.

PUERTO RICANS ARE ONE-THIRD SPANIARD, ONE-THIRD AFTER CAN AND ONE-THIRD INDIA.

THIS EXHIBITS EXPLAINS WHO WE ARE AS PUERTO RICANS.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" THIS IS MARC VITALI.

>> THE EXHIBITION IS CALLED NOSTALGIA FROM MY ISLAND AND IT OPENED IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PUERTO RICAN ARTS OF CULTURE.

TOMORROW IS AN EVENT CALLED CHICAGO CHEFS COOK FOR PUERTO RICO A FUNDRAISER FOR HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS.

MORE IS ON OUR WEBSITE.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT WTTW.COM/NEWS FOR THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS.

AND IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT, KNOW THAT YOU CAN ALSO CATCH LATINO VOICES AND BLACK VOICES SUNDAY BEGINNING AT 10:00 P.M. FROM ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT" LATINO VOICE I'M JOANNA HERNANDEZ THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY, BE SAFE, BUENOS NOCHES.

[♪♪♪]